Says Who? The Christian Holy Sites in and around Jerusalem were established, built and maintained for nearly 2 millenia by the Roman Catholic Church and the Ortthodox Churches. We had over 1100 years of guarding these holy sites before there ever was a Christian Church apart from Rome and Constantinople.
"We had over 1100 years of guarding these holy sites before there ever was a Christian Church apart from Rome and Constantinople."
Excuse me but the Christian Church began long before the "Roman Catholic Church". The RC Church was unheard of by the first and second century Christians.
I sympathizes with the Catholic Church - this is a very difficult issue. The numbers of Christians in the PA area continues to dwindle. Maintaining the holy sites depends increasingly on the goodwill of local muslims. The Church wants to find a way to keep Muslims from persecuting the ever-smaller numbers of Christians. In the end, I'm afraid the holy sites will be nothing more than museums.
/sarc
"...Despite her advanced age she undertook a journey to Palestine when Constantine, through his victory over Licinius, had become sole master of the Roman Empire, subsequently, therefore, to the year 324. It was in Palestine, as we learn from Eusebius (loc. cit., xlii), that she had resolved to bring to God, the King of kings, the homage and tribute of her devotion. She lavished on that land her bounties and good deeds, she "explored it with remarkable discernment", and "visited it with the care and solicitude of the emperor himself". Then, when she "had shown due veneration to the footsteps of the Saviour", she had two churches erected for the worship of God: one was raised in Bethlehem near the Grotto of the Nativity, the other on the Mount of the Ascension, near Jerusalem. She also embellished the sacred grotto with rich ornaments. This sojourn in Jerusalem proved the starting-point of the legend first recorded by Rufinus as to the discovery of the Cross of Christ..."
From:http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07202b.htm
Correct....:)
"Says Who? The Christian Holy Sites in and around Jerusalem were established, built and maintained for nearly 2 millenia by the Roman Catholic Church and the Ortthodox Churches. We had over 1100 years of guarding these holy sites before there ever was a Christian Church apart from Rome and Constantinople"
Well now..this should get interesting....So..the amount of time in an occupation or settlement of land should dictate 'permanent' ownership? I will remind you, that the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox split into quite a few factions after Martin Luther..hence we are all still Christians..hence all have a sense of belonging and being attached to our holy sites.
As I relayed to a Palestinian one time who was bitching and complaining about land, etc. and somehow tried to tie emotionally to our settlement of America and the Native Indians, etc.. I reminded him that my ancestors came from Scotland and were wealthy landowners until Robert Roy MacGregor(the darling of hollywood) came and rape all of our women..stole our cattle and took our lands!! Do I have an 'entitilement' to my ancient lands in Scotland now?
Of course not. I have an emotional tie to Scotland to cherish..a rich history..that's it. No Christian Church owns our holy sites in Jerusalem...they are 'owned' emotionally by the entire Christian family.