Space Network News Jerusalem-based news website highlighting positive and inspiring stories & news

Leaders of Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian churches announced a project to restore foundation and flooring of holy site, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, entombed and resurrected.

An agreement was signed between the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic churches, which have been the building’s primary custodians since the Ottoman era to begin a multi-million dollar renovation of the Holy Sepulchre. At a ceremony held at the Franciscan Monastery on nearby Mount Zion, leaders of the three churches signed a rare agreement.

Regarding the signing of the agreement, Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Church leader who is officially styled as Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Israel, commented: “I think that this will bring the Holy Sepulchre to a new era, to a new phase, because, so far, due to the restoration works which are going on, there is no doubt that the Holy Sepulchre suffers from its holiness and sanctity and reverence. But by completing the restoration works, the Holy Sepulchre will recover its splendor.”

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is shared by multiple Christian sects under a status quo management agreement. Even perceived alterations to the status quo have resulted in arguments or violence in the past. Now, after several hundred years, renovations may finally take place.

In 2016 a Greek team headed a restoration project to preserve the Edicule, a large structure inside the church housing the so called tomb of Jesus. The burial bed made of rock was considered a safety hazard.

The multi-million dollar project will be funded by the various Christian groups, the Vatican, The World Monuments Fund and King Abudullah of Jordan has also promised to donate to the cause, according to the official Petra state news agency.

In February, Jerusalem church leaders closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for three days to protest announced plans by the city’s municipality to collect property tax (arnona) from church-owned properties on which there are no houses of worship.

Christian churches own large tracts of land on which residential apartment buildings and stores are located. Then-mayor Nir Barkat explained that churches themselves would not be taxed, just the property they own. The city eventually halted the collection of property tax on church owned land and formed a committee with the Knesset to study the issue.

The subsequent quiet sale of over 500 dunam (125 acres) of church-owned land to private developers rocked the city. The land was leased for 99 years in 1952 to Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF). Now that the land has been quietly sold, homeowners in neighborhoods such as Rehavia, Baka and Katamon fear for the future. Of note is that the land the Knesset – Israel’s parliament – sits upon is also owned by church authorities.