• Israel allows Catholic leaders to hold Palm Sunday mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher after initial police block.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu intervenes following international criticism and ensures access for Cardinal Pizzaballa.
• Police announce a limited prayer framework for the church amid ongoing security concerns in Jerusalem.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered authorities to restore access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Sunday after police blocked the senior Catholic leader in the region from entering the site to celebrate Palm Sunday mass, drawing sharp rebukes from Western governments and the Vatican.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Catholic archbishop responsible for the diocese covering Israel and the Palestinian territories, had attempted to travel to the church with Rev. Francesco Ielpo, the site's official guardian. Police stopped the two men en route and compelled them to turn back, according to a statement from The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. 

All holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City had been closed to worshipers since the outbreak of war with Iran in February, under directives from the Israeli Home Front Command, the military-civil authority responsible for civilian protection. Iran has repeatedly targeted Jerusalem with ballistic missiles since the conflict began. 

In one strike, fragments landed meters from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A separate intercept sent shrapnel across all four quarters of the Old City, with debris landing on homes, a convent, the Dome of the Rock complex and the church compound itself. Iranian missile attacks have killed at least 19 people in Israel.

The intervention marked the first time in centuries that church leaders were prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday mass at the church, which is widely regarded as one of the holiest sites in Christianity and stands where Jesus was believed to have been crucified and resurrected.

Israeli police said they acted out of concern for Pizzaballa’s safety. Netanyahu’s office said there was “no malicious intent whatsoever."

After international criticism mounted, Netanyahu wrote on X that he had instructed authorities to enable Pizzaballa to hold services as he wished.

"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," Netanyahu wrote. "Even though I understand this concern, as soon as I learned about the incident with Cardinal Pizzaballa, I instructed the authorities to enable the Patriarch to hold services as he wishes."

Israeli police announced early Monday that they had approved a “limited prayer framework” for the church, worked out in consultation with the Latin Patriarchate.

The formal Palm Sunday procession, which typically draws thousands of Christians to Jerusalem, had already been canceled in advance because of a ban on large gatherings.

The Latin Patriarchate said that Pizzaballa and Ielpo had been traveling “privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote on X that barring the patriarch from the church on Palm Sunday for a private ceremony was “difficult to understand or justify” and called the police action an “unfortunate overreach already having major repercussions around the world.”

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said freedom of worship in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all faiths and called the police action a “violation of religious freedom.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the decision, writing on X that it “joins a worrying series of violations of the status of the holy sites in Jerusalem.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with Pizzaballa and Ielpo and described the denial of entry as “an offense not only against believers but against every community that recognizes religious freedom.”

Pope Leo XIV opened his Palm Sunday address at the Vatican by saying his prayers were “more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East.” He repeated the sentiment in an X post after the incident, without directly referring to it.

Inside the Old City, residents spoke of living under the constant threat of incoming missiles.

Many homes in the Christian, Armenian and Muslim quarters have no shelters, and for some families, the nearest public shelter is an eight-minute walk away, according to All Israel News, republished by The Christian Post.

Shrapnel from a recent intercept landed on at least one apartment building housing an American Embassy worker.

Netanyahu’s office said authorities were preparing a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site throughout the remainder of Easter week.

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/israel-allows-holy-sepulcher-palm-sunday-mass-after-initial-ban.html