The Israeli Police’s recent ban on Christian worshippers attending the Feast of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor has sparked a strong reaction from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The police, citing a lack of necessary government approvals, closed the site to thousands of faithful, a move the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has sharply criticized as an unjustified restriction on religious freedom. This decision, which echoes similar disruptions last year, reflects a broader trend where Christian ceremonies are treated as private events requiring heavy security, rather than as spiritual gatherings.
The Patriarchate argues that this approach undermines the essential role of Christians in society and imposes undue barriers to their religious practices. “Such actions dismiss the integral role of Christians within the societal fabric,” the Patriarchate stated. The police’s actions have also affected other significant religious events, including the Saturday of the Holy Light in Jerusalem.
Despite the Patriarchate’s proactive communication with the Israeli Minister of Interior to prevent a recurrence of last year’s issues, the police’s decision has “unexpectedly thwarted the natural right of believers to worship.” The Patriarchate is calling on Israeli authorities to uphold the “inviolable rights of freedom of worship” and reconsider their stance on non-Jewish religious practices, urging them to resist the influence of extremist tendencies.
Read here the full announcement issued by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem:
The recent decision by the Israeli Police to ban Christian worshippers from participating in the sacred services of the Feast of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, citing the absence of requisite government approvals and licenses, has led to the regrettable closure of this holy site to thousands of faithful congregants.
This decision, reminiscent of last year’s similarly timed disruption, has left the Patriarchate of Jerusalem with little recourse. The recurrent Israeli portrayal of Christian prayers and religious ceremonies as private events necessitating security measures—an approach distinctly detached from the spiritual essence of these occasions—serves as a persistent excuse to impede Christians from exercising their faith. Such actions dismiss the integral role of Christians within the societal fabric, imposing undue restrictions rather than fulfilling the state’s duty to facilitate the practice of religious practices.
This regrettable stance is not isolated; comparable obstructions have also marred other sacred events, including Saturday of the Holy Light in Jerusalem. It is incumbent upon the Israeli authorities to uphold the inviolable rights of freedom of worship, access to holy sites, and the unimpeded performance of religious ceremonies—rights that are both inherent and guaranteed by international law to the indigenous Christian community in the holy land.
In anticipation of avoiding a repetition of last year’s events during the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Patriarchate had proactively communicated with the Israeli Minister of Interior over a month ago. However, the police’s decision has unexpectedly thwarted the natural right of believers to worship. The Patriarchate earnestly hopes that Israeli authorities will reassess their stance towards non-Jewish religious practices, affirm the fundamental rights of Christians, and resist yielding to dominating extremist tendencies.
