Israeli Police Block Catholic Clergy from Palm Sunday Mass at Holy Sepulchre, Stir Global Outcry
Israeli police have triggered widespread condemnation after preventing senior Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate a private Palm Sunday Mass — an unprecedented move in centuries.
Authorities said earlier on Sunday that a “limited prayer framework” had been approved for the church, following consultations with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. However, the arrangement barred key clergy, including Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from leading the observance.
The Latin Patriarchate condemned the restriction as “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate,” noting that it prevented top church figures, including the Custos of the Holy Land, from marking one of Christianity’s most sacred days at the site believed to be where Jesus Christ was crucified.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and commemorates Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Israeli police said the decision to halt the Mass was based on safety concerns, adding that church authorities had been informed a day earlier. But Patriarchate spokesperson Farid Jubran rejected the justification, describing the action as unjustified given the request was for a small, private service involving only a few religious leaders.
The Patriarchate warned that the move undermined freedom of worship and disrupted the long-standing status quo governing religious practices in Jerusalem’s holy sites.
The incident has drawn sharp international criticism. Emmanuel Macron described the development as part of a “concerning increase” in violations affecting holy sites in the city. Meanwhile, Giorgia Meloni said the action was an affront not only to Christians but to all who uphold religious freedom.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of access restrictions at religious sites in Jerusalem, particularly during significant observances, amid growing concerns over the preservation of longstanding interfaith arrangements.
