Israeli police bar Latin Patriarch from Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

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.