From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 30, 2026
After meeting with police, Catholic leaders say arrangements for Easter prayer at Holy Sepulchre resolved
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
After police stopped the top Catholic figures in the region from praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre yesterday — an incident which blew up into an international fiasco — the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land say that prayer arrangements for Holy Week and Easter “have been addressed and resolved.”
The announcement comes after a late-night meeting between officials from the Christian denominations in Jerusalem, Israel Police and other Israeli authorities.
“In agreement with the Israel Police,” say the two Catholic bodies, “access for representatives of the Churches has been secured in order to conduct the liturgies and ceremonies and to preserve the ancient Easter traditions at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”
Following a productive meeting between the Israel Police and Latin Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a mutual framework has been established for upcoming Easter ceremonies.
Due to the complex security reality of Operation “Roaring Lion,” ceremonies including the “Holy… pic.twitter.com/uWcE4fnQMO
— Israel Police (@israelpolice) March 30, 2026
The services will be broadcast live in order to comply with Home Front Command restrictions on public gatherings.
They thank President Isaac Herzog for his “prompt attention and valued intervention.”
“The Church remains in continuous dialogue with the authorities, including the Israel Police,” they say. “We pray and hope for an end to the tragic war affecting the region, mindful of the heavy consequences it has on all.”
Herzog writes on X to “warmly welcome the understandings reached this morning between the commanders of the Israel Police in Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarch, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during their meeting together with a representative of the Office of the President of Israel to settle arrangements for Easter prayers in the Old City of Jerusalem.”
“On behalf of the State of Israel,” he continues, “I extend my warmest wishes for the upcoming Easter holiday to the Latin Patriarch, to our Christian sisters and brothers in the Holy Land, and to our Christian friends across the Middle East and around the world.”
I warmly welcome the understandings reached this morning between the commanders of the @IsraelPolice in Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarch @LPJerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during their meeting together with a representative of the Office of the…
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) March 30, 2026
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