Israel Restricts Church Leaders from Palm Sunday Mass, Church Reports
Catholic leaders were blocked from entering Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday. Church authorities said this was the first such restriction in centuries.
Immediate events
The Latin Patriarchate said Israeli police stopped senior clerics from entering the church to celebrate mass. Two senior officials, including Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, were halted while travelling privately and ordered to turn back.
The Patriarchate cancelled the traditional Palm Sunday procession earlier. It described the police action as hasty and disproportionate.
Security explanation from Israeli authorities
Israeli officials said the measures aimed to protect public safety. The Prime Minister’s office said there was no malicious intent and cited concern for worshippers’ security.
Police announced that holy sites in the Old City were closed to worshippers. They cited limited access for emergency vehicles and a need to safeguard areas without protected spaces.
Context of wider restrictions
Access limits affected other key sites in East Jerusalem. Al Aqsa Mosque has been closed to Muslim worshippers since late February.
The Western Wall has seen limits too. Jewish worship at that site was restricted to about 50 people per day.
The measures came amid rising tensions after strikes from Iran and other regional incidents. Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war.
International reactions
Italy sharply criticised the decision. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said they would summon the Israeli ambassador.
Tajani instructed Italy’s embassy to protest. Meloni called the move an affront to religious freedom and to believers worldwide.
Other governments and regional actors have also protested closures at holy sites. Eight Muslim-majority states condemned limited access to Al Aqsa as a breach of international law.
Religious leaders’ response
The patriarchal office called the ban an unprecedented affront to the faithful. Church reports noted strong concern for the ability to observe Holy Week liturgies.
The pope at the Vatican offered prayers for Christians in the region. He stressed the difficulties worshippers face during this sacred week.
Filmogaz.com notes that reporting contributions included material from Abeer Salman. The developments remain fluid as authorities and church officials discuss ways to permit worship at the holy site.
