'A message of peace and love' - Bethlehem Christians celebrate Palm Sunday Mass despite ongoing conflict

"Bethlehem’s Christian community marked a Palm Sunday Mass amid ongoing instability, as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate. Footage from Sunday shows worshippers taking part in religious rites, while clergy processed carrying palm fronds. "Today we are in Bethlehem, and despite the circumstances we live in and the difficulties, the church opens its doors to announce to everyone that from this land a message of peace and love has been sent," said Father George Haddad, Deputy Priest of the Latin Parish in Bethlehem. He added, "Even if the streets of Jerusalem are empty of pilgrims and celebrants, we will continue to raise this voice. From this land, we proclaim a call for peace and love, and today's large attendance at the Mass is a presence of hope and a sign of optimism for this land and for the entire world." The Palestinian News Agency reported that the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‘condemned the deprivation of thousands of Christians from celebrating Palm Sunday in Jerusalem,’ noting that ‘the authorities prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to hold Mass, in a rare precedent described as a violation of freedom of worship, leading to the cancellation of religious events.’ The Israeli Government Press Office, however, said the Patriarch was prevented from entering Jerusalem ‘to ensure his safety’ amid Iranian missile threats, citing the ‘targeting of sites in the Old City of Jerusalem and the fall of fragments near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.’ Palm Sunday marks the end of Lent and commemorates Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, where he was welcomed with palm fronds following his 40-day fast in the desert. In the West Bank, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the first three months of 2026 have seen record levels of displacement, with over 1,700 Palestinians forced from their homes due to a surge in settler violence and movement restrictions. Christian communities have reported increased harassment and the seizure of agricultural lands, with local clergy describing the situation as an 'existential threat' to the indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land. In Gaza, a fragile, US-backed ceasefire that has been in place since October 2025 continues to be tested by low-level clashes."

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