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In the 18th century, the friars were able to set aside their differences with Armenian and Greek Orthodox Christians long enough to make some further repairs. But on Palm Sunday in 1767, a squabble broke out between the Greeks and the Franciscans, and the Ottoman authorities laid down yet another firman, this time splitting the structure between Western and Eastern Christian groups.

In 1852, in the face of looming conflict between Western, Catholic powers and Eastern powers championed by the Russian Czar, Nicholas, Turkey imposed a truce and reaffirmed the division of the Church established in the 1767 firman, now under the name "Status Quo." As is usual in history, nobody from 1852 to today been happy with the status quo—but nobody has been able agree on how to change it. So, right off the bat, the Crimean War (1853-56) erupted over this very question of rights over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. And so, the other day, elderly monks threw furniture and punches over the crossing of an invisible line on the church's roof.

The hope of unity seems dim in the face of such strife. But if our divisions are ever to be healed, it can only be as we seek the forgiveness made available by the Event memorialized (whether or not it took place precisely there) in this holy place. As Pope Paul VI prayed on January 4, 1964:

This is the place, where You, O Lord, were accused;
You, the just one, were put to judgment;
You, Son of man, were tormented, crucified and put to death.
You, Son of God, were blasphemed, laughed at and repudiated;
You, the light, were put out;
You, the King, have been exalted on a cross;
You, Life, met with death, and You, dead, rose to life…
We adore You, O Lord Jesus. We came to beat our breasts,
to ask Your forgiveness, to implore your mercy…
because you are our redemption and our hope.

Chris Armstrong is associate editor of Christian History magazine.

More Christian History, including a list of events that occurred this week in the church's past, is available at ChristianHistory.net. Subscriptions to the quarterly print magazine are also available.

A 1949 United Nations report explains how the Holy Places are taken care of.

Christian History Corner appears every Friday at ChristianityToday.com. Previous editions include:

Legacy of an Ancient Pact | Why do Christians still chafe under restrictions in some Muslim nations? It all started with Umar (July 26, 2002)

Big Church Revival | Christian gyms and shopping malls may be new, but full-service megachurches are positively medieval. (July 19, 2002)

Phantom Saints | Juan Diego could soon join a long line of pious, exemplary, and quite possibly imaginary Catholic heroes. (July 12, 2002)

2002 Is Not 1789 | Before trying to figure out what the framers of the Constitution really thought, remember that they were from a wildly different country—the past (July 5, 2002)

Between Extremes | Church leaders didn't like Pelagius's ideas about free will, but they've never been able to avoid them completely (June 28, 2002)

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July (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46