The cancellation of major Holy Week events in Jerusalem has forced Church leaders into an improvised and uncertain approach to the liturgical calendar at its most significant moment.
In a letter dated March 22, Pierbattista Pizzaballa confirmed that the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives has been cancelled and that the Chrism Mass will be postponed, while indicating that wider public celebrations may not be possible under current conditions.
“Due to the war, this year we were unable to experience the traditional Lenten journey in Jerusalem, with the solemn celebrations at the Holy Sepulchre and in the Holy Places of the Passion,” he wrote, adding that although personal preparation had continued, “we felt the loss of the community journey towards Easter.”
