Catholic Church in Kuwait condemns denial of access to Christian Holy site

KUWAIT CITY, March 29: The Holy Family Cathedral in Kuwait condemned the Israeli police for barring Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa -- head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land Father Francesco Ielpo -- official custodian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Sunday where they were heading to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.

Official spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Kuwait Father Suleiman Haifaoui described the incident as “serious and a violation of the very essence of freedom of worship and the historical respect for holy sites in Jerusalem.” He disclosed that the Israeli police forced Cardinal Pizzaballa and Father Ielpo, who were walking through the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, to turn back despite their modest demeanor and the absence of official procession or fanfare. He pointed out this is the first such incident in centuries, when heads of the Catholic Church were prevented from celebrating this sacred occasion at the holiest Christian site in the world. He asserted “this action does not only constitute a blatant violation of freedom of worship, but also disregards the feelings of hundreds of millions of believers around the world, whose eyes are turned toward Jerusalem during this Holy Week, when the Passion and Resurrection of Christ are commemorated.”

He added that “preventing the highest authorities of the Catholic Church from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a completely unjustified measure and a clear departure from the principles of rationality, freedom of worship, and respect for the historical and legal status quo at the holy sites.” He affirmed that churches and mosques have adhered to all imposed measures since the outbreak of war. He said public celebrations were canceled, ceremonies scaled back, and live streaming adopted to deliver prayers to believers throughout the country in the interest of public safety due to the current circumstances. He stated that “our Muslim brothers were not permitted to hold Eid Al-Fitr prayers at Al- Aqsa Mosque, in accordance with the principle of respecting religious rites and freedom of worship.”

He expressed strong condemnation of this unacceptable act, which infringes upon freedom of worship and violates the sanctity of holy sites. “We affirm that such actions do not serve peace, but rather exacerbate feelings of pain and resentment and hinder dialogue for peace and mutual respect among followers of different religions,” he stressed.

He went on to say that “the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land express their utter disappointment over this painful development, which deprived believers of celebrating one of the most important days of the Christian year. They underscored the need for respecting religious rights and guaranteeing freedom of access to holy sites for all believers. Jerusalem remains a holy city for all religions and a living symbol of coexistence and faith.”