An 'Israeli' border guard stands behind a security barrier at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass, behind closed doors due to the ongoing war
Silence in the holy city: Jerusalem’s Christian quarter deserted amid regional war
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Amid regional war and military restrictions, Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter falls eerily silent during Holy Week, leaving shops closed and centuries-old rituals disrupted.
The stone steps of the Old City, worn smooth by centuries of pilgrims, typically echo with a cacophony of languages and liturgical chants during Holy Week.
But this year, as Christians mark the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Christian Quarter has fallen into an eerie, unprecedented silence.
Amid an ongoing war between 'Israel' and Iran, the intersection of military restrictions and regional instability has effectively shuttered one of the world's most significant religious centers.
A Ghost Town in the Christian Quarter
While West Jerusalem remains largely open due to the availability of modern bomb shelters, the ancient Palestinian Old City lacks such infrastructure. Consequently, the 'Israeli' military has mandated closures, leaving the tourism-dependent Christian Quarter looking like a ghost town.
Unprecedented Clerical Restrictions
The tension reached a boiling point on Palm Sunday when 'Israeli' police barred the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and other senior clergy from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Latin Patriarchate noted that this was the first time in "centuries" that church heads were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the site. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later claimed "safety concerns" regarding Iranian missile shrapnel and a lack of shelters as the reason for the blockade. However, church leaders viewed the move as a violation of the "Status Quo", the delicate 19th-century agreement governing the city's holy sites.
A Region in Mourning
The silence in Jerusalem stands in stark contrast to the violence elsewhere in the region:
- Gaza: A study in the Lancet Global Health estimated over 75,000 deaths in the first 16 months of the war.
- Lebanon: Over 1,000 fatalities recorded since the 'Israeli' invasion of the south in March.
- Jerusalem: Iranian missile shrapnel landed on the roof of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate on March 16, narrowly missing the main church.
As the community looks toward Easter Sunday, the focus remains divided between the preservation of ancient rituals and the survival of the people who practice them.
