Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass for the first time in centuries, the Latin Patriarchate said on Sunday. The holy site in Jerusalem's Old City remains closed due to the ongoing Iran war, with the city facing frequent missile attacks.
The Catholic Church described the police decision as 'a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure'. It blocked Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the head of the Custos in the Holy Land from celebrating Palm Sunday at the church, which Christians believe is the site of Jesus' crucifixion.
Israeli police said they had notified the church on Saturday that no mass could take place due to safety concerns, including lack of access for emergency vehicles in narrow alleys and inadequate shelter. However, the Latin Patriarchate noted that the church has hosted private masses since the war began on 28 February, questioning why Sunday's service was treated differently.
'It's a very, very sacred day for Christians and, in our opinion, there was no justification for such a decision,' said Farid Jubran, spokesperson for the Latin Patriarchate. The church had requested permission for a private mass with only a few religious leaders, not a public event.
Italy formally protested the incident, with Premier Giorgia Meloni calling it 'an offence not only against believers but against every community that recognises religious freedom'. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador for talks on Monday to seek clarification.
Cardinal Pizzaballa later celebrated mass at St Saviour's Monastery and held a prayer for peace at the Dominus Flevit Shrine, focusing his homily on Jesus without mentioning the morning's incident.
