...unless you are Armenian and Greek Orthodox monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Then, ahem, all hell breaks loose.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built where Saint Helena reportedly recovered the True Cross, is under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syrian Orthodox churches.
Sounds like a powder keg, does it not? As they say in the infomercials, "Wait, there's more!"
None of the communities controls the main entrance. In 1192, Saladin assigned responsibility for it to two neighboring Muslim families. The Joudeh were entrusted with the key, and the Nusseibeh, who had been the custodians of the church since the days of Caliph Omar in 637, retained the position of keeping the door. This arrangement has persisted into modern times. Twice each day, a Joudeh family member brings the key to the door, which is locked and unlocked by a Nusseibeh.
Yes, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher should indeed be a place of Peace and Brotherhood. Alas, it is not.
I think this is part of the Protestant aversion to relics. Wars, large and small, are fought for their possession. I do not need to control or see the Cross, whether it is True or not. My Savior died for me and that is a truth no one can take from me.
I was a little dismayed at this story...the behavior of people who should know better.
I completely agree with the above comment.