View from Jerusalem: Holy Land – Closed doors, dead eyes

In Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been closed since February 28, preventing Masses and religious services. The conflict in the Middle East has created an atmosphere of terror, reflected in a constant fear of others. The constant pressure of danger and insecurity is erecting invisible and untouchable walls. The celebration of Holy Week is under threat, writes Ibrahim Faltas, Director of Schools of the Custody of the Holy Land.

The great double gates that for hundreds of years protected the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre have never been closed for so long. Wars, dangers, tensions, and pandemics have restricted access to the Holy Place, but never before have they been closed for such a long and uninterrupted period.

These doors, always holy, have been closed since February 28, and we are still not permitted to open them to perform ancient rites that are not simply the fruit of tradition and custom. We still feel the power of St. John Paul II's words, spoken at the beginning of his Petrine ministry: "Fear not! Open, indeed, open wide the doors to Christ!" Today, these words resonate as a call to courage to live our faith in truth.

We were not permitted to celebrate the second, third, and fourth Sundays of Lent at the Holy Sepulchre, even behind closed doors, as was possible during the pandemic or other dark and painful moments in history.

Eyes closed to goodness, eyes blinded by power, cannot open, cannot see the suffering and pain of others, cannot stop the consequences of hatred that spreads and kills. Let us help these eyes, dulled by despair, open to the courage to unite and seek the truth.

To do this, we must open the doors and eyes of our hearts and minds. It is difficult, but it is possible. It requires courage!

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