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Israel reversed course on Monday after an international diplomatic backlash led by Italy, restoring access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, following a rare incident on Palm Sunday in which Israeli police blocked him from entering Christianity’s holiest site.
What Happened on Palm Sunday
On Sunday, March 29, 2026, Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pizzaballa and Fr. Francesco Ielpo — the official Guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — from entering the church to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass. The two were stopped while traveling privately, without a ceremonial procession or public gathering of any kind. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem described the moment as a ‘grave precedent,’ noting it was the first time in centuries that Church leaders were prevented from marking Palm Sunday Mass at the site.
Israeli authorities cited security concerns tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran, which began in February 2026 and has brought missile strikes near Jerusalem’s Old City. Police noted that shrapnel from an intercepted Iranian missile had landed on a rooftop just steps from the church earlier in the month and that the narrow alleyways of the Old City made emergency vehicle access extremely difficult. Restrictions on gatherings had been applied across all faiths, with limited access to the Western Wall and a total ban at the Al-Aqsa Mosque also in effect.
However, the Latin Patriarchate pointed out that private Masses had continued at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre since the conflict began in February, and that Cardinal Pizzaballa’s group consisted of only four people — well below the Israeli Home Front Command’s 50-person gathering limit.
International Condemnation
The incident triggered swift and unusually broad condemnation from European and Western governments. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the blocking as an offense to believers and a violation of religious freedom. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned Israel’s ambassador to Rome and directed Italy’s ambassador in Israel to deliver a formal protest to Tel Aviv.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the decision, linking it to what he described as a pattern of violations involving Jerusalem’s holy sites, and called for freedom of worship to be guaranteed for all religions. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the incident an unjustified attack on religious freedom. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas characterized it as a violation of religious freedom and urged Israel to guarantee worship access for all faiths. Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, described the event as painful to Christians worldwide.
Even U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee — an unusual critic of Israeli policy — said the barring of the Patriarch was difficult to understand or justify, noting that the group fell far below gathering limits.
Pope Leo XIV, presiding over Palm Sunday Mass in Rome, paid tribute to Christians in the Middle East who, in his words, were unable to fully observe the holy days due to the ongoing conflict.
Israel Backtracks
By Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Cardinal Pizzaballa would receive full and immediate access to the church going forward. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land issued a joint statement confirming that matters surrounding Holy Week and Easter celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre had been addressed and resolved.
Netanyahu maintained that Sunday’s decision had been made purely for security reasons and without any hostile intent, pointing to the nearby missile strike damage as context. Israeli police said a new framework would be put in place to enable freedom of worship while maintaining protections for worshippers at sites without standard emergency shelter.
Cardinal Pizzaballa, who had held an alternative Palm Sunday service at the Church of All Nations on the Mount of Olives following the blockage, said he wanted to use the situation to clarify what would be done in the coming days while respecting security needs. ‘War will not erase the resurrection,’ he said during Sunday’s service. ‘Grief will not extinguish hope.’
Broader Context
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and resurrected — making it the most sacred location in Christianity. Its administration is governed by a centuries-old arrangement between multiple Christian denominations. Any restriction on access to the site carries significant symbolic weight globally, and the incident drew immediate scrutiny not only from religious leaders but from governments with large Catholic populations. With Easter Sunday approaching, church officials and world leaders are watching closely to ensure the Holy Week celebrations proceed without further disruption.
