Israeli police prevent Catholic leaders from entering Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

AUTHORITIES stopped the most senior Roman Catholics in the Holy Land from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass – preventing the Palm Sunday service from going ahead “for the first time in centuries”.

Israeli police yesterday (Sunday, 29th March) blocked the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, and two other priests from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for the liturgy that marks the start of Holy Week.

A joint statement from the Latin Patriarchate and the Custody of the Holy Land said: “Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos, who bear the highest ecclesiastical responsibility for the Catholic Church and the Holy Places, constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.”

Public events at all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City including the Western Wall and Al-Aqsa Mosque have been massively restricted due to safety concerns, with no more than 50 people allowed to gather.

The Church had complied with these security measures and cancelled the usual public gatherings and processions but were going to say Mass so it could be live streamed for the faithful.

The statement said the senior clerics were “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.”

It added: “This incident is a grave precedent, and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem.”

Israeli authorities initially stood by the decision to debar the small group, but later backed down. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intervened to allow access to the church, stressing the priests had been asked to refrain from entering over fears for their safety.

He wrote: “I have instructed the relevant authorities that Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch, be granted full and immediate access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

“Over the past several days, Iran has repeatedly targeted the holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles. 

“In one strike, missile fragments crashed meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he had phoned Cardinal Pizzaballa to express his “great sorrow” that the priests were stopped from entering the church and underline his “unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee expressed disapproval of the move on X (Twitter).

He tweeted: “[T]o deny Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and three other priests from entering the Church to offer a blessing on Palm Sunday is an unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world.

“Home Front Command Guidelines restrict any gatherings to 50 people or less.  The four representatives of the Catholic Church were well below that restriction.”

Dr Caroline Hull, National Director of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) (UK), who visited the region last year, said: “It is heartbreaking to see the doors to the Holy Sepulchre and other holy places in Jerusalem locked at any time, but particularly during Holy Week.

“ACN calls on everyone to pray in particular for the Holy Land’s Christians as we start Holy Week, but also for lasting peace in the Middle East and respect for religious freedom.”