This year, religious events in the city are taking place under heavy Israeli police patrols, which has caused discontent among churches.
Israeli police severely restricted access to the events, citing security concerns. Unlike previous years, when up to 10,000 believers gathered at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, this year only 1,800 people were allowed inside and another 1,200 outside. Additional checkpoints in the old town also restricted access to the area around this church.
In recent weeks, Israel has increased the vigilance of its police forces in the Old City, which is often a hotbed of violence.
Church officials have said they will not follow up on police requests, which they see as part of an effort to evict the local Christian community.
Local law enforcement has also come under fire for the lack of containment measures at a crowded Jewish pilgrimage site in northern Israel after 45 people were killed there in a stampede in 2021.
Israeli police on Saturday erected barriers at access points to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, allowing entry only to those with a special permit.
During the morning hours, believers, local and foreign, flocked to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the songs of prayer rivaling the tinkling of bells and the music of marching bands.
“It’s our holiday and we need to feel comfortable during the celebration, without barricades or violence against women, young people and children,” said local resident Christina Kurt.
Many countries around the world do not recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem, which includes the walled Old City and its holy sites, annexed by Israel after the 1967 Middle East war. Israel regards Jerusalem as its eternal and indivisible capital .
Palestinians want to see East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is located in the heart of the Christian Quarter in the Old City of East Jerusalem.
After several hours of waiting, the ceremony culminates when the Patriarch of Jerusalem emerges from the sealed and empty tomb with a lit candle, a mysterious act considered a miracle on Holy Saturday and preceding Orthodox Easter Sunday. The fire is then distributed to all the worshipers gathered in the darkened church and beyond.
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