From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Israel Police say top Catholic officials were told in advance they can’t enter Holy Sepulchre for safety reasons
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
After furor erupts over the Israel Police blocking the two most senior Catholic figures in the Holy Land from reaching Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday this morning, the police say they told the clergymen yesterday that their request to reach the church was not approved for safety reasons.
“Since the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion, and in accordance with directives issued by the Home Front Command, all holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem have been closed to worshipers, particularly locations that do not have standard protected spaces, in order to safeguard public safety and security,” say the police in a statement.
“The patriarch’s request was reviewed yesterday, and it was clarified that it could not be approved for the reasons outlined above.”
Since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran on February 28, Israeli authorities have, for security reasons, barred access to the Old City for anyone other than residents or shop owners. The restrictions extend to all holy sites, including the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which have been closed since March 6. Gatherings in Jerusalem remain limited to 50 people, provided a shelter can be reached in time.
The police say that the Old City and the holy sites in Jerusalem “constitute a complex area that does not allow access for large emergency and rescue vehicles, which significantly challenges response capabilities and poses a real risk to human life in the event of a mass casualty incident.”
The statement emphasizes that “freedom of worship will continue to be upheld, subject to necessary restrictions.”
Fragments of an Iranian missile strike meters away from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/fxxYXG3vRC
— Lazar Berman (@Lazar_Berman) March 16, 2026
Earlier this month, missile fragments from intercepted Iranian missiles landed near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called today’s incident “an offense not only to believers, but to every community that recognizes religious freedom.”
Italian Foreign Minister Antoni Tajani said on X that it is “unacceptable that they were prevented from entering.”
He says that he told the Italian ambassador in Israel to convey the government of Italy’s protest of the decision, and told Italy’s Foreign Ministry to summon Israeli envoy Jonathan Peled for “clarification.”
“This is painful to all Christians,” writes German Ambassador Steffen Seibert. “Our solidarity with the Patriarch and the Custos.”
The Times of Israel Community.