Holy Saturday in Jerusalem… a joy marred by restrictions, attacks, and arrests
On Saturday, Israeli occupation forces turned the area around the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem into a military zone, enforcing strict restrictions that stopped hundreds of Christians from accessing the church for the Holy Fire ceremony.
Since early morning, police have set up metal barriers and dispatched additional forces at the Jaffa and New Gates, as well as along several roads leading to the church, including alleys and key intersections in the Old City. This obstructed hundreds of Christians from reaching the church, causing them to wait for hours behind the barriers until the Holy Fire arrived.
The road to the church from the Khan al-Zeit side was also blocked with metal barriers.
Throughout the day, the areas around the barriers were filled with hundreds of Christians coming to take part in the ceremony, but strict restrictions kept many from entering the church.
Reports indicated assaults against Christians both inside and outside the church, including at police checkpoints. These incidents involved beatings, pushing, and verbal abuse. Security forces also attacked scout groups and banned them from displaying the Palestinian flag on their uniforms.
Additionally, 10 young men were arrested from within and outside the church and taken for investigation.
Authorities also stopped all participants in the traditional Holy Fire procession from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Nevertheless, some young men and women secretly entered the Old City and tried to bring the Holy Fire home right after it departed the church, aiming to join the religious ceremony under restricted circumstances.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was closed for 40 days, during which Christians could not hold prayers or masses. This closure occurred during the Easter season, preventing thousands of believers from participating in one of the most significant annual religious events.
During the closure, Cardinal Pier Battista Pizzaballa, the head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and Father Francesco Ilbo, the Custos of the Holy Land, were also denied entry to the church while heading to Palm Sunday Mass. This event was seen as a significant escalation, disrupting the opening ceremonies of Holy Week in Jerusalem.
