Ha’aretz
April 25 2005

No deal between sides in church dispute

By Yuval Yoaz

Minister without Portfolio Natan Sharansky has failed to bring about
a compromise between the Armenian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox
patriarchs ahead of the Ceremony of the Holy Fire, due to take place
on Saturday.

The ceremony is one of the highlights of the liturgical year at
Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The High Court of Justice has refused to intervene in the
controversy, citing “international political implications.”

During the ceremony, which takes place annually on the Saturday
before Orthodox Easter Sunday in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, it
is believed divine fire lights the oil lamps in the inner room of the
traditional tomb of Jesus in the church.

About two weeks ago, Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Torkom Manoogian
petitioned the High Court of Justice to issue an interim order
obliging Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irineos I not to change the status
quo in the ceremony. The issue is whether the Armenian Patriarch can
enter the structure over the tomb, together with his Greek Orthodox
counterpart, and light his lamp directly from the lamp of the holy
fire, or whether he must wait in the tomb’s anteroom to light his
lamp from the Greek Orthodox patriarch’s.

Sharansky, appointed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to deal with the
controversy, reported to the High Court that he had managed only to
get the two sides to agree not to resort to violence during the
ceremony. The Jerusalem police force has received instructions from
the government not to interfere in the ceremony, but to protect
public order.