"This morning, the Israeli Police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, together with the Custos of the Holy Land, the Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, OFM, the official Guardian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as they made their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass," a statement from the Patriarchate said.

It said the two were stopped while proceeding privately without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act, and had to turn back.

"As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre," the statement said.

"This incident is a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world, who, during this week, look to Jerusalem."

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has been one of the most vocal critics of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.

In a visit to Gaza last December, Cardinal Pizzaballa stated, “We will not forget what happened in Gaza, but we look ahead. We will rebuild our homes and schools, and we will rebuild our lives," 

"We are from here, and we will remain here. In this sea of destruction, we seek to be an example to everyone of what it means to rebuild," he added.

Since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Israeli occupation authorities have banned Palestinians from performing Ramadan and Eid prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque and capped worshipers at churches across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Latin Patriarchate had already announced it had cancelled the traditional Palm Sunday procession that normally runs from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem and draws thousands of worshippers each year.

"The heads of churches have acted with full responsibility and, since the outset of the war, have complied with all imposed restrictions," the Patriarchate said.

"Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos, who bear the highest ecclesiastical responsibility for the Catholic Church and the Holy Places, constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure," it said.

"This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo."

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