JERUSALEM — Israeli authorities barred senior Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass, church officials said, marking what they described as an unprecedented restriction during one of Christianity’s holiest periods.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said Israeli police prevented top clergy, including Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from accessing the site in Jerusalem’s Old City. The church, revered by Christians as the place of Jesus’ burial and resurrection, traditionally hosts major Holy Week observances.
“For the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass,” the Patriarchate said in a statement, calling the move a “grave precedent” that disregards the sensibilities of Christians worldwide.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, a central period in the Christian calendar commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
Israeli authorities said the restrictions were due to security concerns amid ongoing regional tensions, including conflict involving Iran. Police said access to holy sites in the Old City had been limited because the area cannot accommodate large emergency or rescue operations and lacks sufficient protected spaces.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said there was “no malicious intent whatsoever” in the decision and that officials were working on arrangements to allow church leaders to worship at the site in the coming days.
The Patriarchate rejected the explanation, describing the measure as “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate” and accusing authorities of making a “hasty and fundamentally flawed decision.”
The restrictions come as Israel has also limited access to other major religious sites in Jerusalem. Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall have been capped at small numbers, while Muslims have been barred from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound since the escalation of hostilities earlier this year.
The decision drew international criticism. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the move an “insult” to religious freedom and said the site “must be preserved and protected.” Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said Rome would summon Israel’s ambassador to protest the decision.
At the Vatican, Pope Leo said his prayers were with Christians in the Middle East who are unable to fully observe Holy Week rites due to the conflict.
In a separate statement earlier this month, several Muslim-majority countries condemned restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s holy sites, calling them a violation of international law.
Church officials said the incident could set a troubling precedent for access to religious sites in the city, particularly during major observances.
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