29.3.2026
Catholics and their leaders were blocked from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.
It would be the first time for over 100 years Palm Sunday wouldn’t be held in the Church considred to by a holy site by Christians.
Jerusalem City officials said major holy sites have been closed due to the Iran, USA and Israel conflict. Iranian missiles continue to rain on several Israeli cities.
But according to the Catholic Church the police decision was “a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.”
Two notable Catholic leaders including Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the head of the Custos in the Holy Land, were to celebrate the Mass at the place where Christians believe Jesus was crucified.
“It’s a very, very sacred day for Christians and in our opinion there was no justification for such a decision or such an action,” said Farid Jubran, the spokesperson for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and launches the Holy Week commemorations for Christians who follow the Latin calendar, which culminates in Easter next Sunday.
The Israeli police said it had notified the Catholic Church on Saturday that no Mass could take place on Palm Sunday because of safety considerations, the lack of access for emergency vehicles in narrow alleys of the Old City and lack of adequate shelter. With Independent reports