Leaders of Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre have thanked King Abdullah II of Jordan for the support he showed them during a tax dispute with Israel.
The church, which is considered to be one of the holiest sites in Christianity, closed its doors on Sunday in protest at Israeli authorities' plans to enforce tax collection on church property considered to be commercial in the city.
The Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic leaders of the church reopened the doors to worshippers on Wednesday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the new tax measures had been frozen. Custody of the Holy Sepulchre is shared by the three Christian denominations who each believe it is the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.
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Read more:
Church at Jesus's traditional burial site in Jerusalem reopens after protest
Jerusalem mayor says he is working to resolve tax dispute
Church of the Holy Sepulchre keeps doors locked in protest
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On Thursday, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III thanked King Abdullah, who had expressed his solidarity with the church leaders during the crisis, on behalf of the Christian community in Jerusalem.
“Your defence of religious freedom and Your leadership, in ensuring that the Status Quo is respected and maintained, has been crucial in our ongoing attempts to guard and protect the Christian presence especially in the Holy City of Jerusalem,” Theophilos III wrote in a letter addressed to the Jordanian king.
King Abdullah is the custodian of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under an agreement signed by the Palestinian Authority and Jordan in 2013.
The decision to close the church has not been taken since 1990 when Christian sites including the Holy Sepulchre closed for one day in protest at the installation of Jewish settlers nearby.
During the most recent protest, the church’s custodians called the tax proposals “a systematic attack” and “an attempt to weaken the Christian presence in occupied Jerusalem”.
Church leaders had also been alarmed by a separate bill which would have allowed lands sold by the Greek Orthodox Church to be handed over to the Israeli state.
Mr Netanyahu said a “professional team” would look to find a solution to the tax issue.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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more from Janine di Giovanni
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
