The Israeli prime minister’s office said that police blocked the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass out of “concern for his safety”.
“Today, out of special concern for his safety, Jerusalem police prevented the Latin Patriarch Cardinal (Pierbattista) Pizzaballa from holding mass this morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on X.
“Again, there was no malicious intent whatsoever, only concern for his safety and that of his party.”
However, Netanyahu’s office said that a plan was being put in place to ensure that Christian worshippers would be able to perform their rites during Holy Week.
“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,” it said.
GISTSMATE MEDIA reported that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Custos of the Holy Land, the Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, were prevented by Israeli Police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem this morning, the Latin Patriarchate announced in a joint press release with the Custody of the Holy Land.
The leaders, who were on their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass, “were stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back,” the statement said.
“As a result, and 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 press release described the incident as “a grave precedent, and disregard[ing] the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem.”
It noted that the Church authorities “have acted with full responsibility and, since the outset of the war, have complied with all imposed restrictions: public gatherings were cancelled, attendance was prohibited, and arrangements were made to broadcast the celebrations to hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide, who, during these days of Easter, turn their eyes to Jerusalem and to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.” READ MORE
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