[NYer]

And I thought these problems only existed in the Religion Forum on FreeRepublic.

[NYer]

A Orthodox Christian pilgrim kisses part of the rock, which is traditionally believed to be the rock which was used to seal Christ's tomb, in the Holy Sepulchre Church during Orthodox Easter Sunday, April 27, 2003. Worshippers visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City which Christian faithful believe is built on the site of Jesus' last resting place after his body was removed from the cross. REUTERS/Gil Cohen Magen

Greek Orthodox priests bless worshippers on Orthodox Easter Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem Sunday April 27, 2003. (AP Photo/John McConnico)

A ray of light hits what is traditionally believed to be the tomb of Jesus Christ as an Armenian priest passes Saturday, April 26, 2003 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem during the Holy Fire ceremony. The ceremony is meant to assure the worshippers that Jesus has not forgotten them and is sending a message of hope through the fire. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

[Alex Murphy]

And I thought these problems only existed in the Religion Forum on FreeRepublic.

ROTFL!

[eastsider]

There's a lot to be said for the Western observance of Easter being on a different day. We don't need the Franciscans to be part of this ongoing public scandal.

[DouglasKC]

Priests from the competing sects shoved each other as part of an ancient dispute over who would emerge first with the flame they believe miraculously descends from heaven during the Easter Ceremony of the Holy Fire, celebrated this weekend by the Eastern Orthodox.
Israeli riot police quelled the small disturbance, which last year erupted in fistfights between Greek and Armenian priests and worshippers and had threatened to explode in violence again Saturday.

You have to wonder about a ceremony that generates this kind of spiritual fruit....

[american colleen]

And I thought these problems only existed in the Religion Forum on FreeRepublic.

Very, very funny! :-)

I dunno, I thought He said "and the first shall be last and the last shall be first" --- you think they'd be fighting for last place, but human nature being what it is and all...

I just thought of the jockeying of some of the AmChurch bishops... sorta the same except for the fisticuffs.