Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revoked a ban that prevented the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and holding services.
The decision came hours after Israeli police blocked Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Roman Catholic leader in the Holy Land, from accessing the site, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried, to hold Palm Sunday mass.
Church officials said the patriarch and other senior clergy were traveling to the church “privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act,” when they were stopped by Israeli police and told to turn back, marking the first time in centuries Palm Sunday was blocked at the key holy site.
Facing mounting pressure from church and foreign leaders, Netanyahu intervened and instructed authorities that the cardinal “be granted full and immediate access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.” He added that the restriction had been based solely on safety concerns due to the war with Iran, which has continued to reign strikes on Israel.
“Over the past several days, Iran has repeatedly targeted the holy sites of all three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem with ballistic missiles,” the prime minister said. “In one strike, missile fragments crashed meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. To protect worshippers, Israel asked members of all faiths to temporarily abstain from worshipping at the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City.”
In a joint press release from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land Jerusalem, officials did not cite Netanyahu as the reason services were able to continue, but instead credited Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
When the incident first occurred, church officials recognized the war, but restricting the Holy Day service “constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure.” Following the lifting of restrictions for worship, the church said services hold significant value in times of conflict.
“We wish to emphasize that religious faith constitutes a supreme human value, shared by all religions,” the release said. “Especially in times of hardships and conflict, such as those presently endured, safeguarding the freedom of worship remains a fundamental shared duty.”
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The episode highlights broader tensions over access to religious sites in Jerusalem, where Israeli authorities have imposed sweeping restrictions during the war, affecting Muslim, Jewish, and Christian worship alike.
In the press release, church officials said they are working with Israeli leaders to coordinate limited access for upcoming Holy Week ceremonies, including Easter, though security constraints remain in place.
The Church of the Holy Speluchre has historically remained open to clergy even during major crises, including past wars and pandemics, making Palm Sunday’s restriction a rare flashpoint in already strained relations between Israel and the Vatican. The two bodies established diplomatic ties in 1993 but have periodically faced tensions over access to holy sites and the treatment of Christian communities.