Israeli Police Block Catholic Patriarch from Entering Holy Sepulchre for First Time in Centuries

Israeli police blocked the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the head of the Franciscans in the Holy Land from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate the Palm Sunday service for the first time in centuries. The Latin Patriarchate condemned the action, calling it a serious precedent that disregards the sensitivity of billions of people. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a major center of Christianity, has been closed to the public since the end of February. The guardianship of the church is shared between the Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian Apostolic Churches.