Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-06-25
THE RIOT AT BETHLEHEM.

raced hillside, stands to-day the town
of Bethlehem, of sacred writ. The
Church ofthe Nativity, a very beauti-
fnl and old edifice, and the converts
of the Greek, Latin and Armenian
/ churches are situated on the ridge of
the hill. Each of the rival eommuni-
ties has q chapel in the Church Of
the Nativity for its own peculiar use.
The central nave is held by them all
as tenants in common; and under
meath this nave is limestone grOtto,
with a recess at one extremity, which
is believed to be the manger where
the Saviour was laid. OF the two lit
tie passages which lead down to the
cave, one Is held by the Greeks and
the other by, the Latins.
The Latin monks who guard the
holy places in Palestine are for the
most part Italians or Spaniards. The
political center of this monastic order
is at Rome, the financial center at
Madrid. Yet the Latin clergy, with
out distinction Of nationality, are
under the jealous protection Of France.
France would probably not continue
to exert so burdensOme task, were it
not for the protectOrate which Russia
extends over the indigenous monks
of the Greek Church. The religious
fervor which shows itself in pilgrim
ages to the Holy Land is of the most
intense kind in Russia. For each
European follower Of the Latin
Church who visits the holy places in
Gallilee and Judea, there are thous-
ands of Russian pilgrims, devout be-
LEVERS in the Greek faith. From time
20 time quarrels break out between
the Latin and Greek monks. Some
time before the CrImean war a silver
star was secretly carried off from the
Grotto of the Nativity, but in 1852 it
was solemnly replaced, owing 10 the
Intervention of France. I-s
The cause of the late most sacrile-
gious fight in the grotto was of similar
insignificanee. Some years ago the
walls and ceiling were hung with an
old tattered piece Of painted canvas,
on which scenes appropriate to the
place were depicted, together with |
some Latin emblems. Time, with its !
ravages, bade fair to soon obliterate
and wear away this piece of canvas,
which was looked upon by the Latins |
as an evidence of their higher right |
to the possession Of the sanctuary.-l
The Latin monks wished to repair or 4
renew the painted cloth; the Greek |
monks opposed their wish. About /
four years ago an accidental fire des.
trOyed the greater portion Of the
hanging. A great tumult arose, and /
the members of each communion ae-
eused the other Of firing the sacred
place. e-1 .-
The Turkish troops took possession
of the grotto, and negotiations be-
tWeenFrance andTurkey wereeltered
into. The result was that canvas
painted like the former one, and with
the Latin emblems reproduced, was
only few months since hung up in
the cavern in the name of the Sultan
of Turkey. OF course this was tri-
umph over the Greek monks, who /
were consequently greatly irritated.
Each party has since kept in and
around the sanctuary a guard chosen
from their most stalwart and power
ful monks, whose duty il has been to (
check any attempted act of impiety
such as the hanging up Of a piece of
cloth, or lantern, or the driving of
I nail.
A few weeks since, in April, the
Greeks lighted a lamp too much, and
The 'Lalins displayed hanging of
silks in an unauthorized way. The {
ong restrained animOsities of the s
parties could no longer becalmed and
rom insults they came to open blows,
Ind finally to a bloody and fatal fight. Il
Arms were freely used, and eleven of I
he eombatants were killed or dan q
wounded The combat was
'nly stopped by the arrival of Tur- e
lish soldiers on the scene Of slaught- S
II. The lives of these unworthy c
monks are but of little consequence,
,ut the spectacle of two bodies of i
christians who claim the same Re-
Ieemer, desecrating in this way the
lace which they equally regard as i
he hOliest of hOlies, is sad indeed. It 4
5 little wonder that the Turkish inf {
els who look eomplacently on while Q
hese Christians cut each others i
hroats prefer the religion of MahOn- I