Israel, on the day of Catholic Palm Sunday (29/3/2026), shook up the centuries-old ecclesiastical Status Quo, banning entry to the Church of the Resurrection not only to the Catholic Patriarch, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Custos Francesco Patton, provoking the reaction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The humiliating expulsion of the hierarchs on Catholic Palm Sunday constitutes a “declaration of war” against the Christian world, at a time when the flames of the conflict with Iran threaten to engulf the Holy Land.
For the first time in hundreds of years, the gates of the holiest Christian pilgrimage were “locked” in front of the spiritual leaders of billions of believers, turning Jerusalem into an explosive cauldron of religious hatred.
Orthodox believers watch with bated breath as Israeli forces desecrate sacred tradition, in a move that many interpret as the final signal for the coming geopolitical and religious Armageddon in the region.
Last year, Pope Leo XIV appealed for prudence to Iran and Israel when conflict erupted between the two countries.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church reminded world leaders of their responsibility and the need to work together for the good of world peace.
Lack of shelters
The main argument for the closure of the Church of the Resurrection and other sites in the Old City is the lack of missile shelters. At a time when Iran is launching ballistic missiles, authorities claim that gathering crowds in historic buildings that lack armor poses a mortal risk.
Restrictions on mass gatherings
Due to the state of emergency, gatherings of more than 50 people in public places are banned. Israel says these restrictions apply “horizontally” to synagogues, mosques and churches, denying that they specifically target Christians.
Church leaders, however, dismiss these explanations as pretextual. They argue that preventing the Patriarchs from entering privately, without a procession or crowd, proves that the goal is not to protect life, but to demonstrate absolute sovereignty over holy places.
This move is considered by the Church as the most serious violation of the Status Quo (the legal regime in force since the Ottoman period), as access to their temples by religious leaders was until now considered inviolable, even in times of war.
Macron lashes out, Meloni rages for insulting Israel by banning the Latin Patriarch from entering the Holy Sepulchre
In a move that highlights Israel’s rapid diplomatic isolation, French President Emmanuel Macron launched a scathing attack on the Israeli government, condemning the ban on the Latin Patriarch from entering the Church of the Resurrection.
Emmanuel Macron, through his X account (formerly Twitter), expressed his full support for Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, describing the entry ban as a “worrying example of the growing violation of the status of the Holy Land.”
The French President, who traditionally considers France a “protectorate” of Catholic institutions in the East, stressed that the free exercise of religious duties in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for all religions, without exception.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador in Rome for explanations. This move reflects the anger of the Vatican and the Italian government over the humiliation of the Patriarch and Custos Francesco Patton, considering that the excuses of “security” are not sufficient to cover the insult to the Catholic Church.
The refusal of the Israeli police to allow the hierarchs to celebrate the mass, at a time when Israel is at war with Iran, is interpreted by Paris and Rome as a dangerous slide towards religious authoritarianism.
For Europe, maintaining the Status Quo in Jerusalem is a “red line” that Israel now seems to be systematically crossing.
