For the first time in the history of modern Israel, the entrance to one of the main Christian shrines—the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem—is closed to visitors. For the second day, pilgrims and tourists have been unable to enter the church, which has been closed indefinitely by decision of representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Catholic Church, and the Greek Orthodox community.
According to Interfax, citing Israeli media, access to the church was blocked in protest of the authorities' intention to collect years of unpaid property taxes from church members. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat told reporters that if church leaders disagree with the assessed amount, they can take the matter to court. "I don't understand such a protest, which harms the church itself," the mayor emphasized.
Church leaders, in turn, accuse the Jerusalem authorities of violating unspoken rules according to which churches have historically been exempt from taxes.
The Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, better known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, is visited annually by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists from around the world. Entrance to the church has been closed for the first time since 1948.
Source: travel.ru