Close to the Christians of the Middle East “who suffer the consequences of an atrocious conflict and in many cases cannot fully experience the rites of these holy days”. Pope Leo, before reciting the Angelus, recalls how many «precisely as the Church contemplates the mystery of the passion of the Lord today participate in a real way in his suffering. Their evidence challenges everyone’s conscience.”
Pray, the Pontiff, because «». He also thinks of the seafarers «who are victims of war. I pray for the deceased, for the injured and for their families.” And he underlines that “earth, sky and sea are created for life and peace”. Finally, pray for “all the migrants who died at sea, in particular for those who lost their lives in recent days off the coast of the island of Crete” and entrust everyone to the intercession of Mary.
Meanwhile just as the Pope was reciting the Angelus, the joint note from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land arrived denouncing the ban on Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the Custodian of the Holy Land Fra Francesco Ielpo from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The patriarch and the custodian were stopped even though they were proceeding privately without processions to go and celebrate mass. This is “the first time in centuries”, reads the note, “that the Heads of the Church have been prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre”.
