Macron condemned the refusal to allow the patriarch to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who was denied entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He wrote this on his X account.
Earlier, the Israeli police denied Pizzaballa and the Custodian of the Holy Land Francesco Patton access to the mass for Palm Sunday, which is celebrated a week before Easter. Catholics will celebrate it on April 5, 2026.
Macron condemned the decision to deny the patriarch entry. According to him, such actions by the Israeli police are yet another example of the concerning increase in violations of the status of holy sites in Jerusalem. He stated that the free practice of religious rites in Jerusalem must be guaranteed for representatives of all religions.
In light of the incident, the Italian Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized that the ambassador must explain what happened.
