Netanyahu's office explained the Latin patriarch's non-admission to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on March 29 that the non-admission of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was solely due to security measures.

"Today, for security reasons, the Jerusalem police did not allow Pizzaballa to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for morning Mass. Again, there was no malicious intent, only concern for his safety," the office said in a statement posted on the social network X (ex. Twitter).

The Israeli prime minister's office added that security requirements apply not only to Catholics. Netanyahu called on believers of all faiths to refrain from Mass in the old city for a while. He assured that the security services are already developing a plan that would allow all believers to visit churches next week.

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The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported on the same day that the Jerusalem police did not allow the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where he was going to pray on Palm Sunday. He and the abbot of the Custodia of the Holy Land, Francesco Yelpo, were not allowed to enter the church on the day of Mass.
The Catholic Church said this was the first time "in centuries" that church hierarchs had been banned from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

On March 22, Pope Leo XIV called the US and Israeli military operation in Iran "a disgrace to all mankind," calling for an end to the war. The Pontiff stressed that he was following the events in the Middle East "with concern." According to him, it is necessary to pray for a peaceful solution to the conflict based on dialogue and mutual respect.

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