Israeli police block Catholic cardinal from Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

[Prairie Gates]

Source: Reuters

JERUSALEM, March 29 (Reuters) - Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from marking Palm Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre "for the ​first time in centuries," the Patriarchate said, with police citing security concerns linked to the Iran war.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and ‌Friar Francesco Ielpo were stopped by police while walking to the church, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-police-block-catholic-cardinal-jerusalems-holy-sepulchre-palm-sunday-2026-03-29/

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Outrage across Catholic Europe as Israeli police block access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, preventing Palm Sunday mass.

Meloni called it an offense to believers and all people who value religious liberty. Macron has condemned it as well:

“I offer my full support to the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and to the Christians of the Holy Land, who are prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Holy Sepulchre,” says Macron on X.

“I condemn this decision by the Israeli police, which adds to the alarming proliferation of violations of the status quo of Jerusalem’s Holy Sites,” he continues. “The free exercise of worship in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions.”

Disgusting. Palm Sunday is one of the highest holy days on the Catholic calendar. Are the Israeli police profoundly stupid, or is this a planned provocation by Netanyahu and punishment of Pizzaballa and Pope Leo?

[ForgoTheConsequence]

1. It's retribution.

Leo XIV has made very bold statements against the war and war in general.

[Omnipresent]

2. The police can make the excuse for security reasons, they believe they need to do.

The Israeli’s hacked those road intersection cameras in Iran track the whereabouts of the ayatollah that was ultimately assassinated.

So maybe, they have informants telling them Iran is planning to attack churches today.

[wnylib]

9. It looks suspicious after Leo's statement, but

there might be a real threat from Iran to la7nch attacks in the area.

Truth uis elusive in wars.

[ChicagoTeamster]

3. They know that Trump hates the current Pope and this is just an acknowledgement of loyalty to Trump

[moniss]

4. It is long past time for the

world to take a much more aggressive approach in responding to these kinds of acts on the part of the government of Israel.

[riversedge]

5. What a stupid thing to do on Palm Sunday!!

[Evolve Dammit]

6. World being divided along good and evil lines, or just rascist and inclusion lines? Dark forces at work methinks. nt

[Prairie Gates]

8. Ayup

[J_William_Ryan]

7. A world having gone insane.

Criminal heads of state in Washington and Jerusalem start an unwarranted, illegal war.

Amid the death and destruction of war a prelate attempts to practice his religion of impotence – a hollow, pointless ritual.