The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Israeli ambassador after preventing the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This was reported by ANSA news agency.
Pizzaballa planned to hold a mass in the temple in honor of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), a day that Christians celebrate a week before Easter. On the way, the police stopped him. The Patriarchate’s statement confirms that Pizzaballa went to the temple alone, without a procession.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the actions of the Israeli police as “an insult not only to believers, but to any society that recognizes freedom of religion.” French President Emmanuel Macron joined the criticism.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded reminderOver the past few days, Iran has “repeatedly bombed the holy sites in Jerusalem,” and on one occasion missile debris fell “a few meters away” from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. She noted that Israel had imposed temporary restrictions to protect the faithful, and Pizzaballa was not allowed to hold Mass “out of particular concern for his safety.”
Netanyahu’s representatives added that before Easter, a plan is being developed that will allow Christian leaders to hold services safely.
Since the beginning of the Israeli-American war with Iran, Israeli authorities have denied access to the Old City of Jerusalem to everyone except residents and local shop owners. The restrictions apply to all holy sites of all religions, including the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The Catholic and Protestant churches celebrate Easter on April 5, and the Orthodox churches on April 12.