Amid war and citywide closures, friars at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre continue unceasing prayer as uncertainty looms over Easter.
Newsroom (23/03/2026 Gaudium Press )The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Christianity’s holiest site, remains closed to pilgrims but not to prayer. Despite the sweeping security closures imposed across Jerusalem’s Old City, Franciscan friars continue their round-the-clock liturgies within the church’s ancient stone walls.
In a March 21 statement, the Custody of the Holy Land affirmed that “although access to the Basilica is restricted to the faithful for security reasons, prayer continues unceasingly in the Holy Places.” The Franciscans described this period as a “time of trial” and appealed to Catholics worldwide to unite in prayers for peace, urging that “the paths of dialogue, diplomacy, and responsible political action” prevail over war and violence.
Custody Clarifies Closure and Reassures the Faithful
Responding to reports about the church’s closure and potential cancellation of Easter celebrations, the Custody issued clarifications emphasizing that liturgical life inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre has not ceased. “The community of Franciscan friars present at the Holy Sepulchre has never ceased, day or night, to carry out the scheduled celebrations, the rites, the daily processions, and the liturgical prayers according to the provisions of the Status Quo,” the statement said.
The centuries-old Custody—tasked with safeguarding key Christian sites since the medieval era—called its ongoing service “a prayer that rises every day in the name of the whole Church and for the good of all humanity.” In this moment of global tension, their prayers are meant, they said, to embody “the faith, hope, and supplication of every baptized person.”
Uncertainty Over Holy Week
With Holy Week approaching on March 29, officials admit that plans for Easter remain unresolved. “At the present time, it is not possible to make any predictions regarding the celebrations of Holy Week,” the Custody noted, promising further communication “as soon as clear indications are available.”
Dialogue continues among church authorities and Israeli officials about allowing limited Easter observances, reminiscent of the scaled-down ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sami el-Yousef, CEO of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, confirmed that church leaders hope for “reduced capacity” Easter celebrations. Whether those talks will yield results, he said, remains uncertain.
War and Security Closures Grip the City
The Holy Sepulchre’s closure began February 28, after Israeli and U.S. forces launched strikes against Iran, triggering fears of retaliation. Israel’s Civil Administration stated that “all holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, will remain closed … for security reasons in light of the current tensions in the region.”
A missile explosion near the Old City on March 12 reinforced the government’s caution. “Protecting lives and worshippers’ safety come first,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on X.
Joseph Hazboun, regional director of the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, explained that the closures are “precautionary” measures meant to avoid mass gatherings during a period of heightened risk. He predicted that the Holy Sepulchre, which houses the tomb of Jesus, would remain closed “until the end of the war and the cessation of rocket fire from Iran on Israel.”
A City in Lockdown, a Faith Unbroken
The closures have affected not only Christian pilgrims but also Muslim worshippers. On March 15, the 27th of Ramadan—Laylat al-Qadr, one of Islam’s holiest nights—Israeli forces sealed the Old City gates, preventing Muslims from reaching the al-Aqsa Mosque and even restricting residents from leaving their homes. “Thousands ended up observing the night near the gates,” Hazboun reported.
In this tense, divided city, the custodians of the Holy Sepulchre have chosen to respond not with silence, but with persistent prayer. Their vigil behind closed doors has become both a symbol of endurance and a quiet plea that, even in the shadow of war, faith will not flicker out.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV News
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