Israeli Police on Sunday morning prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after he attempted to reach the site in violation of wartime restrictions imposed under Home Front Command guidelines.
According to a statment by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, Cardinal Pizzaballa, together with the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, was stopped en route while proceeding privately and “without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act," despite existing wartime restrictions barring access to holy sites, and was compelled to turn back.
The Patriarchate noted that, as a result, “for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre."
The statement described the incident as “a grave precedent," adding that it disregards “the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem."
Church leaders stated that they have complied with all restrictions since the outset of the war, including canceling public gatherings and arranging for broadcasts of services to the faithful worldwide.
“Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos… constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure," the statement said, calling the decision “hasty and fundamentally flawed" and “an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the Status Quo."
The Patriarchate and the Custody of the Holy Land expressed “profound sorrow" to Christian faithful in the Holy Land and worldwide over the inability to hold prayer on one of the most sacred days of the Christian calendar.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also commented on the incident, stating, “Preventing the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custodian of the Holy Land from entering, especially on a solemnity as central to the faith as Palm Sunday, constitutes an offense not only to believers, but to every community that recognizes religious freedom."
Israel’s Ambassador to Italy, Jonathan Peled, was summoned for a discussion at the Foreign Ministry in Rome following the incident. Additional foreign embassies have also sought clarification from the Foreign Ministry.
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee criticized the police's decision, noting that while all Holy sites in the Old City are closed due to safety concerns for mass gatherings including the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Al Aqsa Mosque, "The action today by the Israel Nat'l Police to deny Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and 3 other priests from entering the Church to offer a blessing on Palm Sunday is an unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world. Home Front Command Guidelines restrict any gatherings to 50 people or less. The 4 representatives of the Catholic Church were well below that restriction."
He added, "Statements from the Gov't of Israel indicate the action to prohibit Cardinal Pizzaballa entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher were for safety reasons, but churches, synagogues, and mosques throughout Jerusalem have met with the restrictions of 50 or less. For the Patriarch to be barred from entry to the Church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony is difficult to understand or justify. Israel has indicated it will work with the Patriarch to accommodate a safe means of carrying out Holy Week activities."
In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that all safety and precautionary instructions in the Old City are a direct result of Iranian missile fire.
“As is known, the Iranian regime has fired on the Old City on multiple occasions, striking sites in the vicinity of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Western Wall," the statement said.
The ministry added that, in order to protect worshippers of all faiths, precautionary measures were implemented and mass gatherings are not possible, noting particular concern over a potential mass-casualty event given the density of the Old City.
It further stated that police will meet with Cardinal Pizzaballa to explore solutions that would allow for as normal a routine as possible while ensuring public safety.
The Israel Police also noted that since the beginning of the operation and in accordance with directives issued by the Home Front Command, holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem have been closed to worshippers of all faiths, with an emphasis on locations that do not have standard protected spaces, to safeguard public safety and security.
According to the police, the Patriarch’s request was reviewed on Saturday; however, it was clarified that it could not be approved due to the same considerations of protecting public safety and security.
"In order to protect the lives of Christian worshippers, just as we act to protect members of all faiths, we cannot allow mass gatherings at this time that would put human life at risk," the police stated.
The police added that it maintains ongoing dialogue with religious leaders, including a planned meeting with the Patriarch, and will seek solutions that balance freedom of worship with public safety.
It further noted that in recent weeks, multiple launches were identified toward the Old City, including toward churches and other holy sites, and warned that the area’s layout poses challenges for emergency response in the event of a mass-casualty incident.
The police emphasize that they will "continue to uphold freedom of worship, subject to necessary restrictions. Should there be any changes to Home Front Command directives, a renewed situational assessment will be conducted, with the overriding objective remaining the protection of human life."
The Prime Minister’s Office stated that Iran has in recent days repeatedly targeted holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles, including an incident in which missile fragments fell meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
“As a result, Israel has temporarily asked worshippers from all faiths not to worship at the holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City to protect them," the statement said.
The statement added that police prevented Cardinal Pizzaballa from holding mass “out of special concern for his safety," emphasizing that there was “no malicious intent whatsoever."
It further noted that, in light of the significance of the period leading up to Easter, security authorities are working on a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the site in the coming days.
President Isaac Herzog called the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to express his great sorrow over the incident.
President Herzog noted that the unfortunate incident stemmed from security concerns due to the continuous threat of missile attacks from the Iranian terror regime against the civilian population in Israel, following previous incidents of Iranian missiles that had fallen in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem in recent days.
President Herzog reaffirmed the State of Israel's unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths, as well as to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem. President Herzog stressed the importance of enhancing future coordination with the Latin Patriarch.