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Israeli Police Bar Patriarch from Holy Sepulcher on Palm Sunday
Israeli police cited wartime safety concerns to bar Cardinal Pizzaballa and Father Ielpo from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, prompting international criticism including from Italy and the U.S.
- On Sunday, March 29, 2026, Israeli police blocked Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Custos Father Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, preventing Palm Sunday Mass for the first time in centuries.
- Citing 'special concern for his safety' amid Iranian missile threats, police stated the Old City's narrow alleys prevent emergency vehicle access during a 'mass casualty incident.'
- Ambassador Mike Huckabee joined church leaders in labeling the incident an 'unfortunate overreach,' noting the delegation of four was well below the 50-person gathering limit.
- Diplomacy strained as Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli Ambassador, while Premier Giorgia Meloni stated the ban 'constitutes an offense not only against believers but against every community that recognizes religious freedom.'
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office asserted 'no malicious intent whatsoever,' while security officials develop a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site during Holy Week.
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The context behind the cardinal being denied entry to Christian holy site in Jerusalem * WorldNetDaily * by Jonathan Feldstein
Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Israel (Image by Anna Sulencka from Pixabay) As soon as I read reports of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, being prevented from entering Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, my heart sank. My immediate reaction was affirming something I have long believed and articulated frequently: that the State of Israel has a unique responsibility and obligation to protect C…
Church leaders decry closing of Church of the Holy Sepulchre
For the first time in centuries, on March 29, Catholics in Jerusalem were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Israeli Police prevented Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and Francesco Ielpo, the official guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the church as they made their way to celebrate mass.
Israeli Police Meet Top Catholic Leader in Holy Land, Allow Holy Week Observances
Israeli Police and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa announced they had agreed to allow Holy Week observances in the Old City of Jerusalem. The post Israeli Police Meet Top Catholic Leader in Holy Land, Cut Deal to Allow Holy Week Observances appeared first on Breitbart.
White House Urges Religious Access In Jerusalem After Cardinal Barred From Palm Sunday Mass - Tampa Free Press
The Trump administration has officially registered its displeasure with the Israeli government after the Catholic Church’s top leader in the Holy Land was barred from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at Jerusalem’s most sacred Christian site. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday that the U.S. government intervened following reports that Israeli police blocked Cardinal […] White House Urges Religious Access In Jerusalem After…
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