Christian leaders are re-opening the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the city backtracked on proposals seen as targeting Christianity in the region. Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Church leaders jointly decided to close the sacred site indefinitely, protesting two controversial proposals in the city. The proposals would have allowed the government to claim land that was sold by Churches to private organizations in recent years and would have also removed tax exemptions from Church-owned properties that did not contain houses of worship, such as schools, hospitals, and social outreach centers.
As reported by CNA, In a statement released on Feb. 27, the religious leaders gave “thanks to God for the statement released earlier today by Prime Minister Netanyahy and offer our gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly to uphold the Christian presence in Jerusalem and to defend the Status Quo.”
The leaders announced that the church – a holy site believed to contain the locations of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection – will officially re-open its doors on Feb. 28 at 4:00 a.m.
