The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, was stopped by Israeli police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass, which marks the start of Holy Week for Christians around the world.
According to a statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, the incident marked the first time in “centuries” that church leaders were prevented from entering the church, the holiest site in Christianity, for Palm Sunday Mass.
Pizzaballa was on his way to the church with the Vatican’s Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, as well as two escorts, complying with Israel’s restrictions on the number of people allowed in the holy sites after the Palm Sunday procession was cancelled due to the US-Israeli war against Iran.
“The two were stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back. As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the joint statement said.
“The Heads of the Churches have acted with full responsibility and, since the outset of the war, have complied with all imposed restrictions: public gatherings were cancelled, attendance was prohibited, and arrangements were made to broadcast the celebrations to hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide, who, during these days of Easter, turn their eyes to Jerusalem and to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the statement added.
The statement described the move as “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure” and said that it “represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the Status Quo.”
The incident sparked widespread criticism of Israeli authorities, including from Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, who is extremely pro-Israel and believes the modern state of Israel has a divine right to swaths of land across the region. Huckabee said on X that blocking Pizzaballa from entering the church was “unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world,” though he later accepted
In response to the criticism, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office insisted Pizzaballa was blocked due to security concerns, claiming that “ballistic missile attacks” targeted “holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem.” But while Israeli police have said shrapnel from both Iranian missiles and Israeli air defenses has fallen near holy sites in Jerusalem, there’s no indication that Iran has purposely targeted the area.
Netanyahu’s office added that “Israeli security forces are actively preparing a plan to allow church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days, respecting the significance of this week leading up to Easter.”
After the incident, Pizzaballa led a Palm Sunday celebration at the Basilica of All Nations in Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives, another major holy site for Christians.
“Today, Jesus weeps once more over Jerusalem. He weeps over this city, which remains a sign of both hope and sorrow, of grace and suffering. He weeps over this Holy Land, still unable to recognize the gift of peace. He weeps for all the victims of a war that seems without end: for divided families, for shattered hopes. But the tears of Jesus are never fruitless. They open our eyes, challenge us, and reveal the truth,” Pizzaballa said in his homily.
