Israeli forces block head of the Catholic church in Jerusalem from the site of Jesus’s crucifixion 

For the first time in centuries, Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to celebrate a special mass on Palm Sunday, sparking a wave of criticism from the United States and others.

Jerusalem’s major holy sites, including the church, were closed as the city frequently came under fire from Iranian missiles due to the ongoing Iranian war.

The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem described the police decision as a ‘clearly unreasonable and extremely disproportionate measure’.

He prevented two prominent religious leaders of the church, including Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the Guardians of the Holy Land, from celebrating Palm Sunday at the site where Jesus was crucified.

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and kicks off the Holy Week commemorations for Christians, which culminate in Easter.

Israeli police said they notified church officials on Saturday that services could not be held on Palm Sunday for security reasons, lack of access to emergency vehicles and lack of adequate shelter in the narrow streets of the Old City.

But the Latin Patriarchate said the Church of the Holy Sepulcher has hosted services that are not open to the public since Feb. 28, when the Iran war began, and it was unclear why Sunday’s mass and the access of the two priests were different.

“This is a very, very holy day for Christians, and in our opinion, there is no justification for such a decision or such an action,” said Farid Jubran, spokesman for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Jubran said the church asked police for permission for several religious leaders to enter the church on Sunday for a private celebration not open to the public.

The Patriarchate said the decision hindered freedom of worship and the status quo in Jerusalem.

The traditional Palm Sunday procession normally sees tens of thousands of Christians from around the world marching from the Mount of Olives through narrow, hilly streets to the Old City, waving palm fronds and singing.

The Patriarchate canceled the traditional parade last week due to security concerns and limited services to fewer than 50 people, in line with Israeli military guidelines for civilians.

Pizzaballa instead celebrated Mass at the nearby Monastery of St. Saviour, a towering marble church located next to an underground music school that the Israeli army considers a safe haven.

Later Sunday, Pizzaballa prayed for peace at the Dominus Flevit Temple on the Mount of Olives, but concentrated his sermon on Jesus and did not mention the morning’s incident.

At the end of Palm Sunday Mass in St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV prayed for all Christians in the Middle East, which he said was experiencing a ‘terrible’ conflict.

Although he did not give detailed information, he said ‘in many cases they cannot fully experience the rituals of these holy days’.

A Vatican spokesman did not immediately respond when asked for comment on the Jerusalem incident.

Image: A closed gate of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher stands next to shuttered shops in Jerusalem’s Old City

The closure sparked a wave of criticism, including from Israel’s biggest ally, the United States, that Israeli authorities had gone too far in restricting worship.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, a devout evangelical Christian, said the incident was an ‘unfortunate overreach’.

In the statement, it was stated that the prayer proposed to be held with Pizzaballa and others was well below the 50-person limit for meetings. ‘It is difficult to understand and justify the Patriarch’s ban from entering the Church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony,’ he wrote.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident and said it contributed to ‘an increase in violations of the status of the Holy Places in Jerusalem’. In a post on X, Macron wrote: ‘The free exercise of worship in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions.’

Italian officials across the political spectrum condemned the move to restrict access to the church for Italian cardinal Pizzaballa, who is seen as one of the leading candidates for the 2025 conclave.

The Italian government formally protested the incident to Israeli authorities and summoned Israel’s ambassador to Rome for an explanation.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the police action ‘constitutes a crime not only against believers, but also against every community that recognizes religious freedom’.

Meloni’s conservative government tried to maintain a balanced stance with Israel during the war in Gaza; He supported Israel’s right to defense but condemned the harm done to Palestinians.

The closure sparked outrage, with many accusing Israeli authorities of going overboard by restricting religious practices.

The Italian leader also confirmed that the Islamic Republic will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, while saying that Italy will not participate in the Iran war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there was no ‘malicious intention’ and that the cardinal was prevented from entering the church due to security concerns, but that Israel will try to partially open the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the coming days.

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In an interview with Italian Catholic broadcaster TG2000, Pizzaballa said there were differences of opinion with Israeli officials over access to the church, but the disagreement remained polite.

‘We want to use this situation to better clarify what will be done in the coming days, naturally respecting everyone’s safety, but also in terms of the right to worship,’ he said.

The Western Wall, the holiest place for Jews to worship, is also mostly closed for security reasons, but authorities allow up to 50 people to pray at a time in the enclosed area adjacent to the plaza.

Smaller churches, synagogues and mosques in Jerusalem’s Old City are open if they are located within a certain distance from an Israeli military-considered bomb shelter and gatherings are kept to under 50 people.