Israeli police block Latin Patriarch from Palm Sunday mass in Jerusalem

 

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said the decision was "an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship" (Image: Getty Images)

Israeli police have blocked the head of the Catholic church in Jerusalem from entering Christianity's holiest site to celebrate Palm Sunday.

 The Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Reverend Francesco Ielpo were stopped outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - where Jesus Christ was allegedly crucified, and where they planned to hold a mass to mark the start of Holy Week, church authorities said.

 After recent Iranian attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that worshippers of "all faiths" had been asked not to visit sites in Jerusalem's Old City for safety reasons. But the move has drawn strong criticism from global leaders as well as the church.

 It was described as an "unfortunate overreach" that was "difficult to understand or justify" by Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel. According to the office of Cardinal Pizzaballa, it was "the first time in centuries" that a Latin Patriarch had been barred from the sacred site on Palm Sunday, which commemorates the fabled return of Christ to Jerusalem. It stated that he and Rev. Ielpo had been "compelled" to leave the church, where it was also believed that Christ had been buried and then raised from the dead. "This incident is a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world, who during this week, look to Jerusalem," a statement from the patriarchate said.

READ MORE: Iran says its forces 'waiting' as US troops arrive in region

"This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme deviation from fundamental principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo," the statement reads. Sunday's decision was "a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure," according to the patriarchate, which claimed that it had complied with all "imposed restrictions" and acted responsibly since the start of the war. Netanyahu stated that a strategy was being developed to permit church leaders to worship at the location in the upcoming days and that the police had taken action due to "special" safety concerns. Due to restrictions on public gatherings, the customary Palm Sunday procession into the city had already been postponed. Israeli police said all holy sites in the Old City had been closed to worshippers since the US-Israel war against Iran began on 28 February for security reasons, and that it had rejected the patriarchate's request for a Palm Sunday exemption.

 Netanyahu said holy sites belonging to Christian, Jewish and Muslim worshippers and been "repeatedly targeted" by Iranian missile strikes in recent days.

 He said in a statement that was shared on X that "in one strike, missile fragments crashed meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre," and he added that Sunday's decision involved "no malicious intent whatsoever." "As a consequence of this, Israel has temporarily asked people of all faiths not to worship at the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem to protect them."

Huckabee noted that the two individuals had attempted to enter the church without a procession and that the current regulations only apply to religious gatherings with more than 50 participants. He did, however, appreciate the Israeli government's efforts to resolve the issue and make other Holy Week activities easier. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the move was "an offence not only against believers but against every community that recognises religious freedom", while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had summoned Israel's ambassador to Italy for an explanation.

 The decision was also criticized by French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated that it was brought about by "the worrying increase in violations of the status of the Holy Places in Jerusalem." He stated in a statement regarding X that "freedom to hold religious rites in Jerusalem must be ensured for all religions." And Pope Leo XIV, speaking in Rome on Sunday, paid tribute to "the Christians of the Middle East, who suffer the consequences of a terrible conflict and in many cases cannot fully live the rites of these holy days".

 Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he had called Cardinal Pizzaballa to express his "great sorrow" over the "unfortunate incident".

 "Israel's unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem" was also reaffirmed, he stated.

Source: BBC