Israel: Prevented the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Holy Sepulchre for the first time in centuries – Reactions from Italy

A bizarre incident took place in Jerusalem as Israeli police reportedly prevented the celebration of Palm Sunday services at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbatista Pichampala and the head of the Franciscans in the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, were unable to reach the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem to conduct the mass. The two religious leaders, who were moving without a procession or ritual, were blocked by Israeli police en route and had to return.

A joint statement from the Patriarchate and the Custody of the Holy Land noted that this was a development without historical precedent, as “for the first time in centuries” the heads of the Church were not allowed to celebrate this particular service at the Holy Sepulchre. The event is described as particularly serious, with the statement calling it a disregard for the sensibilities of billions of believers worldwide who are turning their attention to Jerusalem these days.

Reactions from Italy

Italy has condemned the actions of the Israeli police, which allegedly prevented the Latin Patriarch from celebrating Palm Sunday mass in Jerusalem.

Specifically, according to the Catholic Patriarchate, the Israeli authorities did not allow Cardinal Pierbatista Pichabala, an archbishop with Catholic jurisdiction in Israel and Palestinian territories, to enter the Church of the Resurrection to celebrate the Mass.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the incident “an insult not only to the faithful but also to any community that respects religious freedom.”

For his part, Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said in a post that he had called the Israeli ambassador for an explanation of the incident.

Recall that the Holy Sepulchre Temple, along with the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, have been closed to the public since the end of February 2026, due to the war.

The Holy Sepulchre is one of the most important pilgrimages in Christendom, with its management and custody shared between the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic Churches.