28.3.2026
Church leaders in Jerusalem on Saturday called on Israel to reopen Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre ahead of annual Easter celebrations.
Issa Musleh, spokesperson for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem, said church leaders are urging Israel to fully reopen the church to allow observances of Holy Week and Easter.
Easter falls on different dates in different divisions of Christendom, with Western churches in 2026 marking it on April 5 and Eastern churches on April 12. Celebrations include Good Friday prayers, Holy Fire Saturday, and Easter liturgies in Jerusalem.
Since Feb. 28, Israeli authorities have kept the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Al-Aqsa Mosque closed, citing the ongoing Israeli-US war on Iran.
Musleh said: “Church leaders in Jerusalem urge Israel to fully reopen the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Holy Week and Easter.”
Another official in the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, who declined to be named, told Anadolu that Patriarch Theophilos III is making international contacts to pressure the Israeli government to reopen churches normally during the holidays.
Despite condemnations from Arab and Muslim countries, Israeli authorities continue to refuse reopening the mosque and the church to Palestinians, who called the move unjustified and politically motivated. AA