Pope Leo XIV Condemns Religious Justifications for War as Israel Bars Latin Patriarch From Holy Sepulchre Palm Sunday Mass
Pope Leo XIV used his Palm Sunday Mass message to reject claims that God justifies war, condemning religious justifications for violence. In Jerusalem, Israeli police prevented Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Rev. Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday — the Patriarchate called it a “grave precedent” while Israeli authorities said holy sites and public gatherings had been restricted since the start of the Iran war; Italian leaders and French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the move, summoned Israel’s ambassador, and local Christians mourned the loss of their traditional Mount of Olives procession.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- On Palm Sunday, Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Rev. Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass, forcing them to turn back.
- The Latin Patriarchate said this was the first time in centuries that the heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday at the Holy Sepulchre, calling the move a 'grave precedent' and 'manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate.'
- Israeli police said all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City have been closed and public gatherings restricted since the start of the Iran war, citing crowd‑control and emergency‑access concerns.
- The Patriarchate disputed the police account, saying Pizzaballa was proceeding privately and was not taking part in a public procession.
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and French President Emmanuel Macron publicly condemned the barring, summoned Israel’s ambassador in Rome and said the action violates religious freedom and the historic status of Jerusalem’s holy places.
- Local Christian worshippers said they mourned the loss of the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives and reported being confined to limited‑attendance indoor ceremonies instead of public street processions.
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- Israeli police prevented Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Rev. Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass, forcing them to turn back.
- The Latin Patriarchate says this is the first time in centuries that the heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Holy Sepulchre, calling it a 'grave precedent' and 'manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate.'
- Israeli police claim all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City have been closed and public gatherings restricted since the start of the Iran war, citing crowd‑control and emergency‑access concerns, though the Patriarchate says Pizzaballa was proceeding privately, not in a procession.
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and French President Emmanuel Macron publicly condemned the move, summoning Israel’s ambassador in Rome and warning it violates religious freedom and the historic status of Jerusalem’s holy places.
- Local Christian worshippers describe mourning the loss of the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives and say they are confined to limited‑attendance indoor ceremonies instead of public street processions.