The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said an agreement with Israeli authorities will allow Holy Week and Easter liturgies at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, after Catholic leaders were initially barred on Palm Sunday.
In a 30 March statement, church officials said access is now secured for clergy, though wartime limits on public gatherings remain, with celebrations livestreamed worldwide.
The dispute followed a 29 March incident in which Israeli police blocked Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Father Francesco Ielpo, drawing global backlash.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, expressed regret, citing security concerns tied to missile threats. World leaders, including Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sánchez, condemned the move as a violation of religious freedom.
Israeli officials later reversed course, while Pizzaballa described the episode as a misunderstanding, urging respect for both safety and the right to worship.
Cardinal Pizzaballa sought to ease tensions in the aftermath of the incident. In an interview with TV2000, the television network owned by the Italian bishops’ conference, the Latin patriarch said the incident was the result of a “misunderstanding.”
“There were no clashes; everything was done very politely. I don’t want to force things; we want to use this situation to better clarify in the coming days what to do, respecting everyone’s safety but also respecting the right to prayer,” he said.
