After forty days of silence: Jerusalem’s holy sites reopen as fragile calm returns

Apr 10, 2026 17:40

Elizabeth Owens

The decision, implemented on April 9, follows a period of extraordinary measures imposed at the end of February 2026

Cardinals and Bishops•Holy Land•Local Church•Religious Freedom•Vatican Diplomacy

Holy Land: Cardinal Pizzaballa Says Palm Sunday Mass Ban in Jerusalem Was a Misunderstanding

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said: «There were no confrontations, and we don’t want to force things, but rather find a solution respecting the right to prayer. We will celebrate Easter discreetly.»

Mar 29, 2026 17:28

ZENIT Staff

Holy Land•Persecuted Christians

Church authorities in the Holy Land denounce the seizure and encroachment on Christian properties by Jewish settlers

Speaking from Jerusalem, William Shomali has described a marked escalation in attacks against Christian communities in the West Bank, particularly in areas historically associated with a continuous Christian population

Mar 24, 2026 18:07

ZENIT Staff

Cardinals and Bishops•Holy Land•Local Church

Jerusalem: Holy Week Behind Closed Doors. A Statement from the Catholic Patriarch

Statement by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

Mar 23, 2026 18:08

ZENIT Staff

Holy Land•Local Church

Is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed? The Catholic Church in the Holy Land issues a statement in response to rumors on social media

Statement from the Custody of the Holy Land regarding the closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Mar 22, 2026 18:37

ZENIT Staff

Analysis Opinion•Holy Land•Justice and Peace•Pope Leo XIV•Vatican Diplomacy

A Church Against the Logic of War: Vatican Voices, Middle East Realities, and the Risk of a Vanishing Christianity

Parolin, speaking on the sidelines of a book presentation dedicated to Pope Leo XIV, framed the current moment as one of dangerous escalation. His message was directed not only at Washington but also at Israel: conflicts must be resolved through diplomacy, not force

Mar 20, 2026 17:03

ZENIT Staff

The Pope is met with an attack in Algeria; in Cameroon, he is greeted by an announcement of a ceasefire amid the civil war

The city of Bamenda, where Leo XIV is scheduled to preside over a peace gathering, encapsulates the complexity of the crisis. Often described as the epicenter of the Anglophone conflict, Bamenda has endured years of violence since tensions escalated in 2016

This is what the letter says—the surprising and important letter that Leo XIV sent to the cardinals ahead of the Consistory in June 2026

Letter from Pope Leo XIV to the cardinals ahead of the upcoming consistory in 2026

After forty days of silence: Jerusalem’s holy sites reopen as fragile calm returns

Ceasefire brings no peace to Lebanon as Israel continues its attacks

A besieged Easter: Lebanon’s Christians between bombardment, blocked aid, and a fragile hope

New Israeli Policy Puts Christian Education—and Presence—in Jerusalem Under Strain

Between Kyiv and Jerusalem: Vatican Diplomacy in Full Swing During Holy Week. Pope Leo XIV Speaks with the Ukrainian and Israeli Presidents

Problem Resolved: Cardinal Patriarch of Jerusalem Meets and Reaches Agreement with Israeli Police for Remaining Holy Week Celebrations

Israeli police prevent a Mass from being celebrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and bar Cardinal Pizzaballa from entering

Holy Land: Cardinal Pizzaballa Says Palm Sunday Mass Ban in Jerusalem Was a Misunderstanding

Church authorities in the Holy Land denounce the seizure and encroachment on Christian properties by Jewish settlers

Jerusalem: Holy Week Behind Closed Doors. A Statement from the Catholic Patriarch

Is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre closed? The Catholic Church in the Holy Land issues a statement in response to rumors on social media

A Church Against the Logic of War: Vatican Voices, Middle East Realities, and the Risk of a Vanishing Christianity