Israel Closes Holiest Site In Christendom Ahead Of Easter

The holiest site in Christianity, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, is indefinitely closed following security concerns as Christians prepare to celebrate Easter, according to officials.

The closure immediately followed the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israel attack on Iran and is accompanied by the closure of other holy sites in the Abrahamic religions, either in or leading up to important religious holidays, according to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), citing the head of Israel’s Civil Administration.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is jointly managed by six Christian denominations.

It is the destination of millions of pilgrims and is traditionally believed to contain both Calvary — the rock on which Jesus Christ was crucified — and the tomb in which he was laid and believed to have been resurrected, according to the church’s website.  (RELATED: Trump Waives US Shipping Law As Gas Prices Rise Amid Iran War)

Christian worshipers circle around the Edicule, traditionally believed to be the burial site of Jesus Christ, at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, during the celebrations of Easter Sunday on March 31, 2024. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

The closure takes place as Holy Week, beginning March 29, draws near. Under typical circumstances, Holy Week brings in Christians from all over the world to visit the site. Good Friday marks the death of Christ, and Easter Sunday marks his resurrection.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that fragments of an Iranian missile landed on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre compound.

“The Iranian regime is targeting the holy sites of Christianity, Islam and Judaism,” the account stated.

The third holiest site of Islam is the Temple Mount. It houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, where Muslims believe Muhammad saw a vision of the heavens.

The Temple Mount is also closed to the public, according to CNEWA.

This view from the Mount of the Olives shows the old city walls of Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock mosque in the Aqsa complex, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Catholic Franciscan monastery of St Saviour, on December 28, 2024. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

A Friday statement from the high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and UN special envoy to combat Islamophobia criticized the closure of the Temple Mount, saying the closure is continuing through the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan. (RELATED: White House Blasts Anti-War Coverage As ‘Fake News’ Minutes After Top Official Resigns Over Iran)

The officials called the move “a violation of international law and international humanitarian law as well as the legal status quo of Jerusalem,” according to a UNAOC press release.

The Temple Mount is the foundation built over Mount Moriah, and it is where Abraham is believed to have prepared to sacrifice Isaac. It is also believed to be where the first and second Jewish temples were located, and it is the holiest location in the Jewish faith.

The restrictions also prohibit Jews from visiting the Western Wall of the Temple Mount, where they often gather in prayer.

Passover, one of the holiest days in Judaism, celebrates God’s hand in the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. It also approaches with no end to the restrictions in sight.

Jewish worshippers welcome the Shabbat, Hebrew for Sabbath, a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, by praying at the Western wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, on October 14, 2016 in Jerusalem’s Old City.
(Photo credit MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

“Jerusalem’s holy sites stand empty for one reason: protecting worshippers,” a X statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

“While the Iranian regime fires missiles at civilians of all religions — even toward Jerusalem’s holy sites during Ramadan — Israel protects the life and safety of all worshippers,” the account added.

Other churches remain open for worship, according to CNEWA.