Jerusalem Police Block Catholic Leaders from Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

29/03/2026

Jerusalem Police Block Catholic Leaders from Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

JERUSALEM (AP), Mar 29: The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said Israeli police prevented senior Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to conduct Palm Sunday mass.

The Patriarchate described the move as unprecedented, stating it was “the first time in centuries” that church leaders were barred from marking the occasion at the site revered by Christians as the place of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

In a statement, the Patriarchate condemned the action as “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate,” noting that those denied entry included the Cardinal and the Custos, who hold the highest ecclesiastical authority over Catholic institutions and holy sites in the region.