Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-04-20
DISPUTE OVER A TOMB.
Quarrel Between Rival Religious Or
ganizations In Jerusalem.


friend in Jerusalem sends me most
extraordinary account of another quar-
rel between the Greek and Roman
Catholic monks. this time over the
reputed tomb of the Holy Virgin,
which is covered by church original
ly built in the fourth century by the
Empress Helena, on the bank of the
brook kedron, at the foot of the
Mount of Olives, near the Garden of
Gethsemane. Very little is known of
the last days of the mother of Christ
and the place of death and burial are
disputed. Many historians believe that
she accompanied St John, the beloved
disciple. to Antioch and lived there
under his protection until her death
and that she was buried there also.
But other traditions, which can be
traced back as far as the third cen
tury, represent that she died in Je-
rusalem and was buried where her
present tomb stands The original
| church was partially destroyed by the
Persians, but rebuilt upon the old
| foundations during the crusades of
Millicent, daughter of Baldwin H..
| King of Jerusalem.
The church is still in a good state
| of preservation and stands to the left
the carriage road which leads up to
| the Mount of Olives near bridge that
spans the brook Kedron. The tomb
was originally grotto or hole in the
| rock. After descending fifteen steps
| from the roadway one reaches a large
courtyard on a level with the brook.
A flight of forty-seyen marble steps
nineteen feet broad down into the grot
to thirty-fve feet below the level of
the brook which is fitted up as a
chapel.
The Tomb of the Holy Virgin. as it
is called, has been u subject of CON
tention between the different creeds
for many centuries and has changed
hands several times, having been con.
trolled successfully by the orthodox
Greeks, the Armenians, the Copts, and
the Roman Catholics. Early in the
last century after long struggle the
latter were overpowered and driven
out, and now the tomb is controlled by
the orthodox Greeks and the Armen-
ians jointly although strip of land
Kedron still belongs to the Roman
Catholics. AT one time during the
last century the Greeks permitted the
Roman Catholics to worship in the
| grotto. but that was stopped many
years ago and the jealousy between
the two sects has ever since grown in
bitterness.
For nearly two years the governor
of Jerusalem has kept Mohamemdan
soldiers at the tomb for fear of vio-
lence At the door of the church a
Greek monk and an Armenian monk
are always standing as sentinels. and
they inspect every visitor that comes
TO the place with careful scrutiny for
fear Franciscan monk may enter the
| tomb and do some damage. Roman
Catholic priests and pilgrims are not
excluded. Every one, regardless OF
sect, race or condition is allowed to en-
ter the place, except Roman Catholic
monks, who never appear because
they know that they would not be al
lowed to enter. The tomb and church
are kept in order by an equal number
of Greek and Armenian monks. who
sleep upon the premises. and Armen
ian soldiers detailed by the Turkish
comamndant are always on guard
night and day.
In February and early March there
were very heavy rains about Jerusa
lem. and the brook kedron was swell
ed until II overfiowed its banks. There
has not been such food for many
years The current was so strong
that part of the retaining walls
were carried away so that the water
rushed through the strip of land own
ed by the Roman Catholics between
the brook and the tomb and Hooded
the church. After the storm was owe
II was found that there were six fec
of water in the tomb proper and thu
altar was entirely submerged. Th'
tapestries and draperies were ruine'
and considerable other damage wa
done. AS there Is no drainage tn
tomb is like well, and there being n
pumping apparatus in Jerusalem tn
Greek and Armenian monks wer
; compelled to bail out the water wit
buckets. which was a task of severt
+ days. They then applied to the go'
@ .ernor of Jerusalem for permission
e repair the break in the retaining wa
/, which had caused the great calamit
n but the Franciscans. who owned ii
u property upon which the break o
?. Cured refused to have it touche
i They Will not mend the wall ther
selves nor allow the Greeks or Turl
g to do II.
g When their refusal became know
II large crowd OF Indignant Greeks al
j. other citizens came TO the place. al
II the Mohammedan police had not a
al peared promptly It Is probable tn
Is violence would have been used. Wh'
n the Francscans were asked for an c
y. PLANTATION of their refusal to permit q
" wall OF the brook to be repaired tn
~ referred to an occasion some yea
10 ago when they asked permission fro
u the Greek patriarch to enter the tor
10 and offer a mass to the Holy Virg
et He refused them the privilege a
OF told them that the orthodox Gree
20 would not waive any OF their righ
&C. They also referred 10 the recent int
OF ference of the Greeks with their