Easter in Jerusalem was marked by silence and security restrictions at the Holy Sepulchre, with many faithful unable to access the site due to the ongoing Middle East war
JERUSALEM: Easter Sunday in Jerusalem’s Old City was marked by an unusual silence, overshadowed by war and strict restrictions on access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Police checkpoints screened a small number of worshippers allowed near the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected.
All shops in the area were closed, heightening the sense of emptiness in the usually lively alleyways.
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa entered the church at dawn surrounded by a modest group of clergy.
Outside, a few Catholics and Orthodox Christians were kept at a distance by security forces.
“How can you tell me I cannot go to church, it is unacceptable,” said one Catholic from Tel Aviv who had attended Easter worship there in previous years.
Security has been stepped up in the Old City, home to sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Israel has imposed restrictions on large gatherings as a security precaution due to the ongoing Middle East war.
On Palm Sunday, Cardinal Pizzaballa was initially prevented by Israeli police from entering the Holy Sepulchre, provoking outrage.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later ordered he be allowed in.
Since the start of the war on February 28, debris from Iranian missiles or interceptors has fallen in the Old City.
This debris has landed near the Holy Sepulchre, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and in the Jewish Quarter.
Most Palestinian Christians belong to the Orthodox faith, which celebrates Easter on April 12.
For many other Christians, the curbs on worship have stripped the Easter celebrations of substance.
“It’s very hard for all of us because it’s our holiday… It’s really hard to want to pray but to come here and find nothing,” said Christina Toderas, 44, from Romania.
Like many others, she had resigned herself to watching the mass at the Holy Sepulchre on television.
Father Bernard Poggi said he understood the security measures but noted an uneven application.
“It seems to be more and more that there’s an unevenness in how the laws are put into practice,” he said.
Inside the Holy Sepulchre, celebrations were held behind closed doors for a very small congregation.
This was far removed from the crowds that usually gather at the site.
Around the Old City, only whispers could be heard among the faithful moving discreetly through its passages.
Hymns and processions that usually dominate at Easter were absent.