“This morning, the Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Monsignor Francesco Ielpo, Official Custodian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, while they were on their way to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass. The two were stopped along the way, while they were going privately and without any procession or ceremonial connotation, and were forced to turn back.” This was introduced by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
“This episode – explains the note – constitutes a serious precedent and disrespects the sensitivity of billions of people around the world who, during this week, look to Jerusalem”. “The Heads of the Churches have acted with full responsibility – we read again – and, since the beginning of the war, they have complied with all the restrictions imposed: public meetings were cancelled, participation was prohibited and agreements were made to broadcast the celebrations to hundreds of millions of faithful around the world, who, in these days of Easter, turn their gaze to Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre”.
“Preventing entry to the Cardinal and the Custos, who hold the highest ecclesiastical responsibility for the Catholic Church and the Holy Places – he continues – constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and disproportionate measure. This hasty and fundamentally incorrect decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme violation of the fundamental principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship and respect for the status quo”. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land specific their deep sorrow to the Christian devoted within the Holy Land and all through the world that prayer on one of many holiest days of the Christian calendar has thus been prevented.
The Pope, «restricted Easter rites, near the Christians of the Middle East»
“At the beginning of Holy Week, we are more close than ever in prayer to the Christians of the Middle East, who suffer the consequences of an atrocious conflict and, in many cases, cannot fully experience the Rites of these holy days. Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Passion of the Lord, we cannot forget how many today participate in a real way in his suffering”, “we raise our plea that” the Lord “support the peoples wounded by war and open concrete paths of reconciliation and peace”. The Pope says this on the Angelus, pronounced shortly after the denunciation by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Meloni, no to Mass Palme on the Sacred Sepulcher is offended, Government shut
“The Italian Government expresses its closeness to Cardinal Pizzaballa, to Father Ielpo and to the religious whom the Israeli authorities prevented today from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in the Holy Sepulchre. The Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem is a sacred place of Christianity, and as such must be preserved and protected for the celebration of sacred rites. Prevent entry to the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custos of the Holy Land, moreover on a central solemnity for the faith such as Palm Sunday Palme, constitutes an offense not only for believers, but for every community that recognizes religious freedom”. This was declared by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/israele-blocca-cardinale-pizzaballa-e-custode-ielpo-fuori-santo-sepolcro-AIXFcLEC