Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem shuts down due to Coronavirus

Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre Closes

Shuts Down Due to COVID-19 Threat

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, revered in Christian tradition as the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ, was closed following the epidemic of coronavirus.

The development was announced by church officials. Referring to this, the press secretary of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, Wadie Abu Nassar, said that the decision had been taken after a meeting of senior religious figures and the Israeli police. This comes in the wake of the Israeli government calling for tighter restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19.

The representative of the clergy stressed that the head of the church expressed his understanding; and although the initial understanding was that this order will remain valid for a week, however, no one knows how long this crisis will last.

Pursuant to the new restrictions, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office prohibited people from leaving their homes, except to go to buy essentials, such as medicine, food or to see a doctor.

The statement said that people aged 60 and over, especially the elderly and at-risk groups, should stay at home and avoid risky things when leaving their homes. Violators will be subject to criminal proceedings against them, the police being responsible for enforcing the orders, which will be in effect for seven days.

The order comes a few days after the enclosure near the Al-Aqsa Masjid closed last week. However, the leaders of the three main owner churches of the basilica said: "We want to make sure that inside the basilica the prayers of the three communities will continue, rather be intensified."

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