On the Prevention of Palm Sunday Worship at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other Holy Sites
The American Federation of Ramallah Palestine (AFRP.org) expresses its profound sorrow and deep concern over today’s unprecedented events in Jerusalem, where His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Custos of the Holy Land, the Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM, were prevented by Israeli police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.
For the first time in centuries, the highest Catholic authorities in the Holy Land were denied access to one of Christianity’s holiest sites on one of the most sacred days of the year. This act is not only a violation of religious freedom, it is a painful affront to billions of Christians around the world who look to Jerusalem during Holy Week with reverence, devotion and hope.
As Palestinians, Christians and Muslims alike, we know intimately the weight of this moment. We are the descendants of the first Christians, and our presence in the Holy Land is not symbolic; it is ancestral, living and continuous. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is not merely a monument of faith, it’s part of our identity, our history and our spiritual inheritance.
This incident does not stand alone. In recent months, Christian Orthodox clergy and worshippers have also faced severe restrictions, including closures of churches and limitations on access to holy sites during their most sacred feast days. Muslim worshippers have endured similar constraints, with repeated closures of mosques and barriers preventing Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque—one of Islam’s holiest sites. These patterns of restriction strike at the heart of Jerusalem’s religious diversity and violate the fundamental right of all people to worship freely.
Since the start of the war, the Heads of the Churches have acted with extraordinary responsibility, complying with all restrictions, cancelling public gatherings, and ensuring that worship could continue through broadcasts to millions of faithful worldwide. To deny them entry today, without cause and without respect for the Status Quo, represents a grave and disproportionate escalation.
We stand in full solidarity with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land. We share in the sorrow of the Christian community in Palestine and across the globe, and we condemn any action that undermines freedom of worship, human dignity, or the sacred traditions that have endured in Jerusalem for centuries.
At a time when the Holy Land is already burdened with immense suffering — especially in Gaza— this incident deepens the wound felt by all who seek peace, justice, and the simple right to pray.
We call on the international community, religious leaders, and all people of conscience to speak out against this violation and to reaffirm the universal right to worship freely in the Holy City.
Our faith, our heritage, and our people have endured countless trials. We will continue to stand united, steadfast, and unshaken in our commitment to justice, dignity, and the preservation of our sacred traditions.
Joy Batteh-Freiha
President, American Federation of Ramallah Palestine