In a move Catholic leaders described as lacking precedent in centuries, Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.
Father Francesco Ielpo, the site’s Franciscan guardian and Custos of the Holy Land, was also turned back.
The incident occurred Sunday morning as the two senior clerics travelled privately, without any procession or public gathering, to lead the traditional Palm Sunday liturgy at Christianity’s holiest site.
They were stopped en route by police and compelled to turn back, resulting in the cancellation of the Mass inside the church.
Church officials stressed the pair had fully complied with all security restrictions imposed since the outbreak of the current Middle East conflict, including the cancellation of public gatherings and the broadcast of services to millions worldwide.
بيان مشترك من البطريركية اللاتينية في القدس وحراسة الأراضي المقدسة.
Joint Press Release: The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land.https://t.co/ujB3t50j67
— Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (@LPJerusalem) March 29, 2026
Italy’s government led the European outcry after the two priests were barred.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni protested that, “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 offence not only to believers, but to every community that recognises religious freedom.”
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the Israeli ambassador would be summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Monday for clarification.
French President Emmanuel Macron likewise expressed his “full support for the Latin Patriarch and for the Christians in the Holy Land”. He condemned the decision issued by the Israeli police and said it came “in the context of the alarming increase in violations targeting the status quo of the holy places in Jerusalem”.
Macron made his statement in French and also in Arabic and Hebrew.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said the incident was “an unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world.”
He noted that Israel’s declared reason for blocking the religious leaders was not convincing.
“Home Front Command Guidelines restrict any gatherings to 50 people or less. The four representatives of the Catholic Church were well below that restriction. ”
Dutch politician Pieter Omtzigt called the event “deeply saddening”.
The joint statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land called the blocking “a grave precedent” that “disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem”.
Their statement labelled the measure “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate” and “a hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations”.
It violated “basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the Status Quo”, said the joint statement.
The leaders expressed “profound sorrow” to the faithful that prayer on one of Christianity’s most sacred days had been prevented.
The episode comes amid heightened tensions in Jerusalem and broader restrictions on large religious gatherings of all faiths, imposed by Israeli authorities for security reasons since the war began.
Police reportedly rejected the request to enter on security grounds, in keeping with rules that have curtailed public ceremonies at holy sites.
The Latin Patriarchate insisted the private nature of the visit posed no risk and represented an “extreme departure” from the established understanding that governs Christian worship at the Holy Sepulchre.
The Church has repeatedly adapted its Holy Week observances to wartime constraints, but argues this specific exclusion of its highest representatives is a disproportionate step that sets a troubling precedent for religious freedom in the Holy Land.
From the Israeli perspective, the decision forms part of longstanding security protocols aimed at preventing potential unrest or large crowds in a volatile environment.
Authorities have applied similar limits across religious sites, including synagogues, churches, and mosques, to maintain public order during the ongoing conflict.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, “Over the past several days, Iran has repeatedly targeted the holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles. In one strike, missile fragments crashed metres 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.”
“Today, out of special concern for his safety, Jerusalem police prevented the Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa from holding mass this morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”
“Again, there was no malicious intent whatsoever, only concern for his safety and that of his party.”
“However, given the holiness of the week leading up to Easter for the world’s Christians, Israel’s security arms are putting together a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days.”
I actually don't think anyone was behind the decision — which is exactly the problem.
Based on the reporting, it seems as though this was a decision made by police officers at the site, who were enforcing the safety directives in an undiscerning and ham-fisted manner.
There… https://t.co/TrhXunLSzi
— Avi Mayer אבי מאיר (@AviMayer) March 29, 2026
