Jerusalem: At the start of Holy Week, Pierbattista Pizzaballa led a solemn Palm Sunday prayer service in the Garden of Gethsemane, calling for peace and hope in a land marked by ongoing conflict.
The celebration was held at the Basilica of All Nations after Israeli police prevented the Cardinal from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Palm Sunday Mass is traditionally celebrated.
Standing at the foot of the Mount of Olives, the Cardinal reflected on Jesus praying in Gethsemane and invited the faithful to begin Holy Week with a spirit of reconciliation. He led the Liturgy of the Word and gave a special blessing with a relic of the Holy Cross, directing prayers toward the city of Jerusalem.
Because of the ongoing war, this year’s Holy Week in the Holy Land is being observed without pilgrims. Still, the Cardinal said believers around the world are united in prayer for peace.
In his meditation, he recalled how Jesus wept over Jerusalem in the Gospel and said that the same sorrow is seen today. He spoke of a city that remains a sign of both hope and suffering, and of a land that has yet to embrace peace. He remembered the victims of war, including divided families and broken lives, and said that the tears of Christ call people to see the truth and change their hearts.
He also noted the absence of traditional Palm Sunday processions, saying that even without outward celebrations, faith remains strong. According to him, true faith does not depend on rituals alone but can grow even in silence and hardship.
Reflecting on the Passion of Christ, he said the story reveals both human weakness and the deep love of Jesus, who remained faithful even in suffering. He added that true peace is not an illusion but comes through sacrifice and love, not through violence or force.
The Cardinal acknowledged the difficult reality of living faith in a place where hope and pain exist side by side. Yet he encouraged Christians to continue being witnesses of love and hope.
He concluded by urging people to carry the light of Christ into a world that still longs for peace, saying that even in dark times, faith can guide the way forward.