Israel blocks Cardinal Pizzaballa from Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday
By Catholics for Catholic
March 29, on Palm Sunday, Christians around the world commemorate the Lord’s triumphal entrance into the holy city of Jerusalem. The world awoke this morning to the news that the State of Israel in a hostile act toward all Christians, barred the representative of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as they made their way to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.
The small group of 4 representatives of the Catholic Church were well below the current security guidelines of the Israeli Home Front Command which allows for gatherings of 50 people or less making this an unnecessary act of aggression. History has a way of repeating itself.
When Christ entered the holy city to shouts of “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jn 12 not all were happy to see His arrival. There were those who despised Him and sought to stop Him. Two thousand years later the attempt to block Christ, through the representatives of His Church, has repeated itself through the actions of the Israeli Government. As Christians leaders around the world react in outrage, Catholics here in the United States turn to our own American Bishops to see if they will speak up. Sadly, we remember that on this Palm Sunday, per their March 13 communique from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops @USCCB, all Bishops have been instructed to tell their priests to use the Homilies of this Holy Week, to preach against vs the “errors” of Carrie Prejean Boller @CarriePrejean1 in what they have determined to be anti-semitic speech at the Religious Liberty Commission in February. (see their full statement in the comments).
Unprecedented.
— Catholics for Catholics 🇺🇲 (@CforCatholics) March 29, 2026
“Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, along with Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land and the official responsible for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the church as they made their way… pic.twitter.com/gfbOrSst4Z
The confusion and borderline libel of this statement from the USCCB has left scandal among the faithful. History indeed has a way of repeating itself. Two thousand years ago, the twelve apostles abandoned Christ in His moment of need during the first Holy Week. Today, in 2026 we see similar patterns in actions taken by the successors of the apostles, the Bishops. Thankfully, many priests together with Bishop Joseph Strickland have stood by Mrs. Prejean in her defense of Religious Liberty and the Catholic Faith. As has been stated ad nauseam, we condemn all anti-semitism, that is hatred of the Jews, but we will not be subjugated to a blind support of the 1948 State of Israel which has had devastating effect on this Country. If ever there was a more clear example that “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.” Gen 12 does NOT apply to the modern Israeli State but to the new Israel, the Catholic Church, we hope that barring Christians from celebrating Palm Sunday by this Israeli Government would make that might point abundantly clear.
When the Lord came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the followers of Christ shouted with joy, “Blessed is the King of Israel!” Jn 12. On our knees before this King of Israel, we join our prayers with the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, for peace in the Middle East and for the Religious Freedom to worship without hindrance at the holiest sites of Christendom. May Our Lady, Daughter of Zion, grant us that grace.
John Yep
President Catholics for Catholics
JERUSALEM
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) March 29, 2026
After being DENIED entry to the Holy Sepulchre
Cardinal Pizzaballa prayed at Gethesmane, blessing Jerusalem with a relic of the True Cross:
'Today Jesus weeps once more over Jerusalem. He weeps over this city, which remains a sign of both hope and sorrow, of grace… pic.twitter.com/7d9yp73rGk
Latest Update:
VICTORY. Because when Christendom rises up to defend our Faith nothing will stop us because it is the Holy Spirit that is behind us. https://t.co/HYaa3Hk54Y
— Catholics for Catholics 🇺🇲 (@CforCatholics) March 30, 2026
