'Israeli' police prevent Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch from celebrating Palm Sunday mass

• 'Israeli' police block Latin Patriarch from Palm Sunday mass at Holy Sepulchre.

'Israeli' police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

"This morning, the Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land ... from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as they made their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass," a statement issued by the Patriarchate said.

"As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre."