On March 31, 2026, a joint press conference was held at the headquarters of the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem with His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Lelpo.

During the conference, they addressed the incident that occurred on Palm Sunday, when Israeli police prevented them from entering to pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and clarified the arrangements reached for the celebrations of Holy Week.

It was announced that the Patriarch, together with a small number of clergy, will join the friars residing in the monastery of the Holy Sepulcher to celebrate the Easter liturgies, which will be broadcast to allow the faithful to unite in prayer.

Both emphasized that a resolution with the authorities was reached swiftly, reaffirming that freedom of worship in all holy places must be respected at all times.