Israel: Blocked Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem from Entering Holy Sepulchre

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced that for the first time in centuries, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Custos of the Holy Sepulchre, Father Francesco Ielpo, were not allowed to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate the Sunday of Palm Sunday liturgy. The two religious leaders were obstructed as they headed to the church without pomp or ceremony, forcing them to return. The announcement emphasizes that this is a serious precedent, as for the first time in centuries the celebration of the Palm Sunday liturgy is prevented in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, ignoring the sensitivity of billions of people around the world who are turning to Jerusalem this week. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, along with the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, remains closed to the public since the end of February due to the war. The Church is an important center and reference point of Christianity, with its guardianship shared between the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic Churches.