The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said Israeli police blocked him from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday services, an unprecedented move that comes as war and security restrictions disrupt Christian observances across the region.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic leader in the Holy Land, was prevented from holding Palm Sunday Mass at the key holy site for the first time in centuries, according to a press release.
Pizzabella and the guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Rev. Francesco Ielpo, were stopped en route to the church and were traveling “privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act,” and told by Israeli police they had to turn back.
Israeli authorities have tightened security across Jerusalem’s Old City, limiting gatherings and restricting access to major religious sites due to fears of violence and missile threats tied to the regional war.
The disruption reflects a broader curtailment of Holy Week traditions. The Latin Patriarchate had already canceled the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives, citing the war and inability to safely accommodate crowds.
While the Church of the Holy Sepulchre said it understands the precautions taken by Israel’s security forces, it said restricting the Holy Day service “constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.”
“This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the Status Quo,” the church said.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Christianity’s most sacred week, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem ahead of his crucifixion and resurrection. Typically, thousands of pilgrims gather in the city for processions and prayers, but this year’s observances have been scaled back dramatically or canceled altogether.
At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV used his Palm Sunday Mass to highlight the suffering of Christians in the Middle East, many of whom he said are unable to fully observe Holy Week rites because of the violence. He also denounced attempts to use religion to justify war, calling God a “king of peace” who rejects violence.
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The incident involving Pizzaballa risks further straining relations between Israel and the Vatican, which established diplomatic ties in 1993 but have periodically faced tensions over access to holy sites and the treatment of Christian communities.
