Catholic cardinal refused entry to Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

On Sunday, Israeli forces prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Franciscan Father Francesco Ielpo, the official guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where they intended to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass.

“The two were stopped en route, while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and were compelled to turn back,” said a joint statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.

“As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” the statement said.

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Due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the United States against Iran, most religious sites in the Holy Land have been closed to visitors because of Iranian attacks. However, religious services have still been performed by clergy from all religions.

The Catholic leaders said this latest incident “is a grave precedent, and disregard the sensibilities of billions of people around the world who, during