Catholic officials in Jerusalem said Monday that prayer arrangements for Holy Week and Easter have been resolved with Israeli authorities, ending a spat over the issue as police sought to implement restrictions amid Iranian missile fire.

The day before, police stopped Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Father Francesco Ielpo, custos of the Holy Land, who are the top Catholic figures in the region, from praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Palm Sunday holiday — an incident which blew up into an international furor.

However, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land said that religious services “have been addressed and resolved” after a late-night meeting between officials from the Christian denominations in Jerusalem, Israel Police, and other Israeli authorities.

“In agreement with the Israel Police,” said the two Catholic bodies, “access for representatives of the Churches has been secured in order to conduct the liturgies and ceremonies and to preserve the ancient Easter traditions at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”

The services will be broadcast live in order to comply with Home Front Command restrictions on public gatherings.

They thanked President Isaac Herzog for his “prompt attention and valued intervention.”

“The Church remains in continuous dialogue with the authorities, including the Israel Police,” they said. “We pray and hope for an end to the tragic war affecting the region, mindful of the heavy consequences it has on all.”

Herzog wrote on X to “warmly welcome the understandings reached this morning between the commanders of the Israel Police in Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarch, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during their meeting together with a representative of the Office of the President of Israel to settle arrangements for Easter prayers in the Old City of Jerusalem.”

I warmly welcome the understandings reached this morning between the commanders of the @IsraelPolice in Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarch @LPJerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during their meeting together with a representative of the Office of the… — יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) March 30, 2026

I warmly welcome the understandings reached this morning between the commanders of the @IsraelPolice in Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarch @LPJerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during their meeting together with a representative of the Office of the…

— יצחק........

© The Times of Israel