7 Injured As Rival Gangs Of Monks Storm Monastery

[matcom]

SPECIAL thanks to cub-reporter lizziegrace for this scoop! :D

<snip>

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) -- Two groups of monks clashed on Wednesday at a monastery facility in Mt. Athos, resulting in at least seven injuries, police said.

Fighting broke out between a group of rebel monks occupying facilities of the 1,000-year-old monastery of Esphigmenou, and a group of legally recognized monks on the outside.

The rebel monks, unrecognized by the Orthodox Church, reacted strongly when the outsiders attempted to force their way into the monastery's representative offices in Karyes, the administrative center of the medieval community. They were trying to enter in order to begin construction of a new building.

The clashes turned violent as the occupying monks attacked the intruders with crowbars and fire extinguishers, breaking a door down.

Seven monks were reported injured. Four were taken off the peninsula by boat and hospitalized at Polygiros, including two with head wounds, while three more were being taken to hospital, according to Athos police.

Esphigmenou monastery -- one of 20 in the all-male medieval community in northern Greece -- has been the scene of a long-running dispute between Orthodox Church authorities and rebel monks at Esphigmenou, who bitterly oppose efforts to improve relations between the Orthodox Church and the Vatican.

Both Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, leader of the Orthodox Christian church, and Greece's highest administrative court have ordered their eviction, but the monks have refused to budge.

In October, a Thessaloniki court handed down two-year suspended sentences against nine monks and former monastery members for illegally occupying Esphigmenou's offices.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/12/20/greece.monks.ap/index.html

[billyskank]

1. That is fucking awesome

:7

[matcom]

2. might possibly be the story of the day

:rofl:

[RetroLounge]

3. Monks Gone Amok!

That fucking rules!

RL

[Richardo]

4. I swear to God that said 'monkeys'

I've got get these glasses checked.

[xchrom]

7. that's what i thought.

i had visions of roving bands of baboons attacking some lonely monastary -- poor monks getting caught in the cross fire....

[texanwitch]

8. I did the same thing.

Monkeys with crowbars.:rofl:

I really need to wear my glasses when I read DU.

[DixieBlue]

5. Holy crap. I thought that was going to be an Onion

headline.

Why do we even need satire anymore?

[Mad_Dem_X]

22. I thought it was a joke, too

Story of the day!

[lizziegrace]

6. Those wacky Greeks

:crazy:






(Since I am one, this explains a lot. ;) )

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. Well, pimp my sandals!

Gangsta Monks!

This is stunning news. Is it on YouTube yet?

[ZombieNixon]

10. Wow...just...wow...

:wow: :rofl:

[lizziegrace]

12. You might want to re-think this whole Lelapin thing

we're nuts. :crazy:

;)

:hug:

[ZombieNixon]

15. Hey, I'd storm a monastery if I were a monk.

:P

[cwydro]

11. 'Tis the season...

[myrna minx]

13. Monks gone WILD!

OMG, this is the funniest thing I have read in a looong time. :bounce:

[underpants]

14. They had fire extinguishers in medieval times?

Who knew?

Rebel monks would be a great name for a band

[edbermac]

16. We should send David Carradine over to straighten them out.

He'd kick everyone's ass.

[Rosemary2205]

17. I thought the OP title was a joke.............

it's real??

OMG!!

[matcom]

19. I NEVER joke

:rofl:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Everybody was kung fu fighting...

[Torgo Johnson]

20. Now they're felonious monks.

[Mad_Dem_X]

21. LOL!

Good one! :rofl:

[Twillig]

23. "...You have offended the Esphigmenou temple."