THE GROTTO OF OUR LORD NATIVITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13859, 23 March 1907, Page 5

THE GROTTO OF OUR LORD NATIVITY.

FIGHTING AMONG THE MONKS.

. Tl,p Corriero d'ltalia publishes the following communication from Jerusalem, dated January 23. In thci evening of January 22, in Grotto of tho Nativity, several Italian l'ronciscans, Armenian, and I*reek monks foil out with euch other obout tho ceremonial, two Franciscans heir,"wounded. Tho guardian of the Francis" cans entreated tho administrator of tho "l in Jerusalem to come to Jiothlehem; ho arrived, instituted an inquiry, and paid the wounded monks a visit. tho Governor of Jerusalem instructed tho Mudir of Bethlehem by tolograph to place himself at the disposal of the Italian Consular administrator, and sent a commissary of police, a doctor, and officer ■of gendarme. The French Vice-consul proceeded likewise to Bethlehem. At all times the Catholic and orthodox, or Gregorian monks in Jerusalem and Bethlehem havo indulged in outward feuds and discussion in order to advance prerogatives in tho sacred ground the result, having repeatedly ended Woodshed. From the market place at Bethlehem a low gateway leads into the basilica, tlieuec into a vestibule, and into the middle nave, with two others running parallel on each side, and are supported bv pale pink columns, all of one piece, with heavy diappers ornamented with crosses. Magnificent is the grandeur of the broad, silent halls, hut. even here the strife of creeds thrusts itself on the 'beholder by means of a partition erected by tho Grociks 111 1842, which separates tlie transonic nave and apsis from the rest of tho building. I rom the choir, with its slightly raised platform and apsis to the right, steps learl down into the orypt, the walls of which are covered with costly paperhanginge, and here, stink into marble, in the bottom of a little eavc. is the place af nativitv, a silver star pojnting it out with the device: "Hie do virginc Ma ria Jesus Christ us natus est." such as Consla.nt.in saw it when building the church, tho urotto exists no longer. As early as the eight century the piler'm Willibakl relates that tho rock had been further excavated some time heforo ho visited it. Opposite, somewhat lower down, is the cavern where tho marble manger is being shown, discovered bv the Empress Helena. A Turkish sentrv stands immovable near by; it is 'his duty to prevent the religious confessors of the founder of the Christian Church from breaking each other's heads on the holiest place. —Cologno Gazette.