Holy Week 2026 in Jerusalem canceled amid war. Cardinal Pizzaballa urges faith, prayer, and perseverance despite closed Holy Sepulchre.
Newsroom (24/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) For the first time in living memory, Jerusalem will observe Holy Week without the public celebrations that have long marked Christianity’s holiest season. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, confirmed in a March 22 letter that the Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives is canceled, and the Chrism Mass postponed, due to the ongoing war engulfing the region.
“The ordinary celebrations open to all will not be able to take place,” the Patriarch wrote, explaining that the conflict has made it impossible to guarantee safety or continuity at the city’s sacred sites. Since late February, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—the spiritual heart of Christianity—has remained closed to the public by order of Israeli authorities, though monastic liturgies continue behind closed doors.
Faith Under Fire
In his message, Pizzaballa acknowledged the profound spiritual disruption the faithful face this Lent and Easter. “Because of the war, this year we have not been able to experience the traditional Lenten journey in Jerusalem, with the solemn celebrations at the Holy Sepulchre and the Holy Places of the Passion,” he wrote. Though private devotions persist, the Patriarch lamented that “the Christian community has lost the communal journey towards Easter.”
Amid the uncertainty, Pizzaballa urged perseverance. “It is not possible to provide definitive guidelines for the coming days,” he cautioned, noting that the Church is forced to proceed “day by day,” coordinating with local authorities and other Christian denominations.
The Palm Sunday procession, one of Jerusalem’s most recognizable and televised religious events, will be replaced with a prayer gathering “for the city of Jerusalem” at a site still to be determined. The Chrism Mass, traditionally a symbol of diocesan unity, will take place “as soon as the situation permits, possibly within the Easter season,” with Vatican approval for the delay already granted.
“One More Wound Among Many”
Cardinal Pizzaballa spoke candidly of the emotional toll this Holy Week will impose. “To the hardship of this time of war, which affects us all, is added today the inability to celebrate Easter together in a dignified manner,” he wrote. “It is a wound that adds to so many others inflicted by the conflict.”
Despite this, his message centered on hope. “We must not lose heart,” he urged. “If we cannot gather as we would like, let us not give up on prayer.” Citing Luke’s Gospel—“pray always and never give up”—the Patriarch announced a special day of prayer on Saturday, March 28, inviting the faithful to pray the Rosary “to implore the gift of peace and serenity, especially for all who suffer because of the conflict.”
Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, has prepared the prayer form to guide participants across the diocese and beyond.
The Holy Sepulchre in Silence
The Holy Sepulchre, the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, has stood closed to the general public since February 28. Israeli authorities ordered the closure as part of sweeping security restrictions in Jerusalem’s Old City, including the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, responding to fears of violence and instability.
Yet within its ancient stone walls, the Custody of the Holy Land ensures that liturgical life continues. Franciscan friars maintain the daily rhythm of prayers, processions, and rituals under the Status Quo arrangement, preserving continuity even without worshippers.
Still, the Custody admits that plans for Holy Week remain uncertain. It maintains “constant dialogue with the authorities and the other Churches responsible for the Holy Sepulchre,” while calling on believers to pray “for an end to war and violence” and for “dialogue, diplomacy, and responsible political action” to prevail.
Hope Beyond Darkness
Cardinal Pizzaballa closed his letter with words meant to steady faith in a time of loss: “Our prayer, though physically distant, is able to draw upon the power of God’s love, which unites us in a spirit of hope and trust. No darkness, not even that of war, can have the last word. The empty tomb is the seal of the victory of life over hatred, of mercy over sin.”
This year, Jerusalem’s Easter will not echo with crowded hymns or candlelit vigils. Instead, it will unfold quietly—within closed sanctuaries, whispered prayers, and steadfast hearts bearing a fragile but enduring faith in peace’s eventual dawn.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from INfocatholica
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