Holy Fire ceremony in Jerusalem to be held with restrictions

The Holy Fire ceremony on Holy Saturday (April 11) will be held in a limited format, and the Old City of Jerusalem will remain closed to pilgrims. This was reported by BelTA, citing a statement from the Israel Police.

The decision was made during a meeting on March 30 between police representatives and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

It is noted that the police are finalizing preparations for the events in the Old City. "In light of the exceptional security situation, an agreement was reached with the Latin Patriarchate to hold the ceremony in a symbolic and limited format in order to ensure freedom of religion without endangering the lives of believers," the police stated.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he had asked the "relevant authorities" to allow Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after he was unable to enter on March 29, and to "conduct a service at his discretion."

Israeli authorities say they are restricting access to religious sites in East Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall, for security reasons. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office attributed the ban to security concerns. Netanyahu stated that rocket fragments had previously fallen in the immediate vicinity of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Israeli police reported that all holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City were "closed to worshippers, especially those without standard security areas, in order to ensure public safety."