Holiest church in Christianity closed in Israel tax dispute

Worshippers kneel and pray in front of the closed doors of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City. [Photo: Courtesy]

Christian leaders took the rare step on Sunday of closing Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built where tradition holds Jesus was buried, in protest at Israeli tax measures and a proposed property law.

It was not clear how long the closure of the church, announced by Christian officials at a news conference from around noon (1000 GMT), would last. Church officials said only that it would be until further notice.