(MENAFN) The infrequent move of closing Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been taken by Christian leaders on Sunday in protest at Israeli tax measures and a proposed property law, AFPreported.
The church is considered the holiest site in Christianity, built where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected, and is a major pilgrimage site.
"As a measure of protest, we decided to take this unprecedented step of closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre," Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Catholic leaders said in a statement read out in front of the church's large wooden doors.
They said recent Israeli measures seemed to be "an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in Jerusalem".
It's worth mentioning that Christian leaders have been angered over attempts by the occupation authorities in Jerusalem to impose tax collection on church property they consider commercial, saying exemptions only apply to places of worship or religious teaching.
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