Georgian sources believe that Greek Orthodox priests removed the corpse of the 12th-century Georgian national poet Shota Rustaveli, known as a legendary Georgian figure, from his grave in Jerusalem. So reports Arutz-7's Shimon Cohen. Rustaveli's grave is found in the Church of the Cross in western Jerusalem.
This past summer, a fistfight almost erupted at the monastery when Greek Orthodox officials tried to prevent visiting Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili from viewing the fresco of Rustaveli - because they did not want him to see that it had been defaced.
It turns out, however, that the fresco fiasco was only the tip of the iceberg of the cold relations between the Greek Orthodox Church and Georgia. A Church official has said, on condition of anonymity, that persons close to a direct appointee of Patriarch Irineos actually removed Rustaveli's body from his grave - purportedly to destroy, even if only "spiritually," historic Georgian claims to the building and area.
Specifically, two aides of Patriarch Irineos' confidante, a priest named Claudius - whom Irineos appointed as responsible for the Church of the Cross - are accused of having vandalized the fresco and grave. The Church source says that Greek Orthodox Church elements opened the venerated poet's grave some years ago, threw out his remains, and filled the newly-empty grave with concrete. The source further said that if news of the desecration of the grave is learned, the Church plans to place the blame on Bishop Daniel - who died a year and a half ago.
Arutz-7's Cohen turned to another high-ranking Church figure for his comment to this accusation. The latter responded by raising doubts that Rustaveli was ever buried there: "I have heard historical information, and I have read that he was buried there, but I have not come to know where in the Church he is buried."
The vandalism of the fresco last summer led to an official Georgian complaint against Israel. The complaint acknowledged that the Greek Orthodox Church is responsible for the building, but Israel is responsible for preserving cultural treasures in the country. A Foreign Ministry investigation was opened, though the police were not called in.
The fortress-like Monastery of the Cross, located just below Jerusalem's modern neighborhood of Rehavia and the Israel Museum, is some 1,500 years old, and was restored in the 11th century by the Georgian King Bagrat. One of several frescoes decorating the pillars and walls commemorates the Georgian poet Rustaveli, who lived in the monastery. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate acquired the building in the 16th or 17th century, but the Georgians dispute the Greek ownership.
Evidence of the anti-Semitic sentiments of Patriarch Irineos - whose appointment to the post was narrowly approved by the Sharon government earlier this year - was provided by a letter he wrote Yasser Arafat on July 17, 2001. The letter states, " You [Arafat] are aware of the sentiments of disgust and disrespect that all the Holy Sepulchre fathers are feeling for the descendants of the crucifiers of our Lord... actual crucifiers of your people, Sionists [sic] Jewish conquerors of the Holy Land of Palestine." Irineos' letter asks Arafat for his support, promising that if he is elected head of the church, "rest assured, Mr. President, that the rights of our most beloved Palestinian people on the Holy City of Jerusalem will find the most 'hot' supporter."
Head of the Greek Orthodox Church, considered the richest in Israel, Irineos is responsible for the church's extensive land holdings. These include the land on which the Knesset was built, the Prime Minister's and the President's official residences, parts of Jerusalem's wealthiest neighborhoods, and locations in the Old City and in the new Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa.
In addition to the above, another internal scandal is rocking the Greek Orthodox Church. Sources close to the aforementioned priest Claudius accuse the Church treasurer Nicholas Papedemes (sp?) of having run off with millions of dollars of Church funds. Supporters of the latter say that the accusations are groundless, and are designed merely to push Nicholas out and Claudius in. Also allegedly involved in the trading of accusations is Church figure Inicandius (sp?).
This past summer, a fistfight almost erupted at the monastery when Greek Orthodox officials tried to prevent visiting Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili from viewing the fresco of Rustaveli - because they did not want him to see that it had been defaced.
It turns out, however, that the fresco fiasco was only the tip of the iceberg of the cold relations between the Greek Orthodox Church and Georgia. A Church official has said, on condition of anonymity, that persons close to a direct appointee of Patriarch Irineos actually removed Rustaveli's body from his grave - purportedly to destroy, even if only "spiritually," historic Georgian claims to the building and area.
Specifically, two aides of Patriarch Irineos' confidante, a priest named Claudius - whom Irineos appointed as responsible for the Church of the Cross - are accused of having vandalized the fresco and grave. The Church source says that Greek Orthodox Church elements opened the venerated poet's grave some years ago, threw out his remains, and filled the newly-empty grave with concrete. The source further said that if news of the desecration of the grave is learned, the Church plans to place the blame on Bishop Daniel - who died a year and a half ago.
Arutz-7's Cohen turned to another high-ranking Church figure for his comment to this accusation. The latter responded by raising doubts that Rustaveli was ever buried there: "I have heard historical information, and I have read that he was buried there, but I have not come to know where in the Church he is buried."
The vandalism of the fresco last summer led to an official Georgian complaint against Israel. The complaint acknowledged that the Greek Orthodox Church is responsible for the building, but Israel is responsible for preserving cultural treasures in the country. A Foreign Ministry investigation was opened, though the police were not called in.
The fortress-like Monastery of the Cross, located just below Jerusalem's modern neighborhood of Rehavia and the Israel Museum, is some 1,500 years old, and was restored in the 11th century by the Georgian King Bagrat. One of several frescoes decorating the pillars and walls commemorates the Georgian poet Rustaveli, who lived in the monastery. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate acquired the building in the 16th or 17th century, but the Georgians dispute the Greek ownership.
Evidence of the anti-Semitic sentiments of Patriarch Irineos - whose appointment to the post was narrowly approved by the Sharon government earlier this year - was provided by a letter he wrote Yasser Arafat on July 17, 2001. The letter states, " You [Arafat] are aware of the sentiments of disgust and disrespect that all the Holy Sepulchre fathers are feeling for the descendants of the crucifiers of our Lord... actual crucifiers of your people, Sionists [sic] Jewish conquerors of the Holy Land of Palestine." Irineos' letter asks Arafat for his support, promising that if he is elected head of the church, "rest assured, Mr. President, that the rights of our most beloved Palestinian people on the Holy City of Jerusalem will find the most 'hot' supporter."
Head of the Greek Orthodox Church, considered the richest in Israel, Irineos is responsible for the church's extensive land holdings. These include the land on which the Knesset was built, the Prime Minister's and the President's official residences, parts of Jerusalem's wealthiest neighborhoods, and locations in the Old City and in the new Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa.
In addition to the above, another internal scandal is rocking the Greek Orthodox Church. Sources close to the aforementioned priest Claudius accuse the Church treasurer Nicholas Papedemes (sp?) of having run off with millions of dollars of Church funds. Supporters of the latter say that the accusations are groundless, and are designed merely to push Nicholas out and Claudius in. Also allegedly involved in the trading of accusations is Church figure Inicandius (sp?).