ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “This morning, the Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, together with the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francis Ielpo, OFM, official custodian of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as they went to celebrate the Mass of Palm Sunday.” A note from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem reports it. “This incident – the note continues – is a serious precedent and ignores the sensitivity of billions of people all over the world who, during this week, look at Jerusalem.”.
MELONI “SOLIDARIETA’, IMPEDIRNE L’INGRESSO OFFESA AI CREDENTI”
“The Italian Government expresses closeness to Cardinal Pizzaballa, Father Ielpo and the religious to whom the Israeli authorities have prevented today to celebrate the Mass of Palm Sunday in the Holy Sepulchre.” So the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, in a note. “The Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem – he adds – is a sacred place of Christianity, and as such as to preserve and protect for the celebration of sacred rites. Preventing its entry to the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Custos of the Holy Land, on the other hand, in a central solemnity for the faith which is Palm Sunday, is an offense not only for believers, but for every community that recognizes religious freedom.”.
TAJANI “INACCETTABILE”
“I want to express my deepest sympathy to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and to the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francis Ielpo”. He wrote on X the vice-premier and foreign minister Antonio Tajani. “It is unacceptable – he adds – to have prevented them from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. For the first time, the Israeli police denied at the top of the Catholic Church the opportunity to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass in one of the most sacred places for millions of faithful in the world. I gave immediate instructions to our Ambassador in Israel to express to the authorities of Tel Aviv the protest of the government and confirm the Italian position to protect, always and in all circumstances, freedom of religion.”.
SALVINI “INACCETTABILE E OFFENSIVO”
“How successful is Cardinal Pizzaballa and Father Ielpo unacceptable and offensive. Well the clear and unequivocal position of the Italian government“. He writes on X the deputypremier and minister of the Transports Matteo Salvini.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
