Jerusalem Easter rite restricted over security concerns

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem, scheduled for April 11, will be held in a restricted format, with holy sites in the Old City closed to pilgrims and tourists, according to Israeli police, as reported by Sputnik.

“Given that the current situation does not allow for mass gatherings, Easter events will be symbolic and limited in format. Due to the existing emergency situation and instructions from the Home Front Command, holy sites in the Old City will remain closed to broad public access, based on the police’s legal and moral duty to protect human life,” the police press service said in a statement on X, Sputnik Armenia reports.

It was noted that the decision was made after a meeting with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who was not allowed to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on March 29.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Holy Fire ceremony was also held without the participation of the faithful.