On Palm Sunday, Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Reverend Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, marking the first time in centuries that the traditional Mass could not be held there, due to heightened security amid conflict between Israel and Iran. The move, justified by Israeli authorities as a safety measure against missile threats, sparked widespread international condemnation for infringing on religious freedoms and access to holy sites. In response to the backlash, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office pledged to facilitate worship for church leaders during the remainder of Easter week, highlighting the ongoing tension between security and religious rights in Jerusalem.
Posts tagged as “the Palm Sunday Mass.”
Pope Francis is set to be discharged from a Rome hospital on Saturday, where he was treated for bronchitis. He will be present for the Palm Sunday Mass at the start of Holy Week, although it is not yet confirmed if he will deliver the homily. During his hospital stay, he baptized a baby in the pediatrics ward and has been receiving antibiotics intravenously.