Latin Patriarch will have access to Jerusalem holy site after police stopped entry
發佈日期: 2026-03-30 20:59
TVB News
Israeli police has prevented two senior Roman Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to celebrate mass of Palm Sunday for the first time in centuries.
The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said in a statement on Sunday that he and Father Francesco Ielpo were stopped en route and compelled to turn back, while proceeding to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most important sites in Christianity.
He has called the police's decision "a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem."
The church, built on what is believed as the site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection, remains closed as Jerusalem has come under frequent Iranian fire. The traditional Palm Sunday procession has already been cancelled.
Pizzaballa later held a peace prayer ceremony at the Dominus Flevit Shrine on the Mount of Olives and celebrated Mass in the Saint Savior's Monastery, which is near an underground music school that is regarded as a safe shelter place by Israeli military.
He said: "Brothers and sisters, we are gathering here today in front of Jerusalem in a very complicated situation we're living in. But in this moment in front of the Old City of Jerusalem, we want to bring together with Jesus, we want to enter with him in Jerusalem and to learn once again how this city and remain whole as a community, both to build partnership, friendship, communal fraternity among all of us."
His spokesman noted on Sunday morning, the patriarch did inform the police that they were supposed to celebrate Mass in private behind closed doors. Still, despite the communication, the police insisted on prohibiting them from entering the basilica.
The spokesman said: "We did take the measures to prevent any problems and any risks to the people, to the faithful, but still to have the heads of churches not being able to celebrate one of the most sacred days of the year in the Holy Sepulchre in the most sacred place for Christians, is something unheard of."
The spokesman added the church leaders are still waiting for answers to see what happened and why it happened.
The police's restriction has drawn criticism from the Italian government, which is planning to summon the Israeli ambassador in Rome.
Following widespread backlash over Sunday's incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated there was "no malicious intent whatsoever" in the ban, saying he has asked relevant authorities early Monday to give the Heads of Church "full and immediate access."
Meanwhile in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV dedicated his Palm Sunday homily to insist that God is the "king of peace", calling the conflict between Israel, the US and Iran "atrocious." He drew the Church's attention to the plight of Christians around the world, especially in the Middle East.
He said, they cannot forget how many people today are participating in a real way in Christ's suffering. "In many cases, they cannot live fully the rites of these holy days."
The pontiff also offered prayers to support those wounded by war to open "concrete paths of reconciliation and peace."
