Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was denied entry to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday Mass, marking a historic first. The Latin Patriarchate condemned this as a 'grave precedent', emphasizing the incident's disregard for global religious sensibilities. Israeli authorities cited security concerns due to the risk of Iranian airstrikes, leading to bans on large gatherings at holy sites. The incident sparked international outrage, with leaders like Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron criticizing the Israeli police's actions.