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Israeli police bar Latin Patriarch from Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

newsMar 29, 20261,133

Israeli police prevented Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass. The Latin Patriarchate and the Franciscan Custody issued a joint statement saying police blocked access to the compound. Authorities said they had notified the church that no mass could be held, citing safety concerns and restrictions on large gatherings amid regional tensions. The action halted a key Holy Week ritual and raised tensions over access to Jerusalem's holy sites during the security crisis.

Key Highlights

Israeli police barred Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the Holy Sepulchre.
Police cited safety concerns and banned large gatherings amid regional tensions.
The move halted Palm Sunday mass at one of Christianity's most sacred sites.