Press Statement by Under-Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos,
High Representative for UNAOC,
UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia
I am deeply concerned that His Beatitude Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and the Custos of the Holy Land, the Most Reverend Fr. Francesco Ielpo, were prevented by Israeli police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to hold the Palm Sunday mass, one of Christianity’s holiest days.
I note the statement by the Israeli Prime Minister’s office that the Israeli security arms are putting together a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days.
I wish to reiterate that freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, which includes freedom of worship and access to places of worship.
I express my solidarity with the Christian community in the Holy Land and around the world and hope that all Christians will be able to celebrate Holy Week rites.