Christian Worshippers Face Violence on Holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

On the night before Easter, thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world arrived in Jerusalem to take part in one of the most sacred ceremonies in Christianity — the Holy Fire at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. But instead of prayer and peace, they were met with violence, restrictions, and fear.

Sources on the ground in Jerusalem told The Armenian Report that Israeli police were attacking Christian worshippers and blocking them from entering the Holy Sepulchre Church. This happened on Holy Saturday — the day before Easter, when Christians gather to witness the miraculous Holy Fire that symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Our sources said the violence did not target just one group, but included Armenians, Latins, Greeks, and other Christians. “The police always provoke and kick people out, every year,” one witness told us. “They control everything. Entry and exit. They don’t want Christians to have power. Every year, they try to change the status quo.”

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Church of the Resurrection, is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. It has stood since the fourth century and is believed by many Christians to be the site where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. It has been an essential pilgrimage site for nearly 2,000 years.

But recently, Christian leaders and worshippers say the sacred tradition of Holy Fire is under siege. “The city is blocked. No one is allowed in unless they have a wristband,” a source explained. “The Armenian Patriarchate, the Greek, and the Latin give out wristbands — but even then, not enough. The Armenian youth didn’t get any.”

Worse, those wristbands are now being sold on the black market — between $100 and $500 each. “It’s becoming a business,” a worshipper said, “instead of a spiritual event.”

In one video obtained by The Armenian Report, Israeli police are seen physically assaulting Palestinian Christians — Israeli citizens — who were trying to attend the ceremony. Another video shows officers pushing back crowds, including women and children, with unnecessary force.

“The Church and our Quarters became a militarized zone,” said Hagop Chrnazian, a local Armenian Christian from Jerusalem. “This was not a celebration. It was a day of humiliation and aggression.”

According to eyewitnesses, Israeli police officers showed “violence, disrespect, and utter disregard for basic human dignity.” Clergy, pilgrims, and even elderly worshippers were prevented from practicing their faith freely in their own holy sites.

Chrnazian called on the Heads of Churches and Christian communities in Jerusalem to take action. “We must take the Holy Fire into our own hands,” he said. “The illegal restrictions and brutal measures by the Israeli police are a direct attack on our right to worship freely in our own city.”

He added: “This is our Church. We are the children of this City. Our presence is resistance. We will not be driven away. The Light of Christ cannot be extinguished.”

This is not the first year such incidents have happened during Easter celebrations in Jerusalem. But Christian leaders and local communities are now demanding real accountability and an end to what they say is growing pressure from Israeli authorities to weaken the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

As the Armenian Church and other patriarchates continue to protect and preserve these sacred traditions, their challenge is growing — not only from political tension, but from the silence of the global community.

The Armenian presence in Jerusalem goes back over 1,600 years. Armenians have been caretakers of the Holy Sepulchre for centuries, and their role in preserving Christian heritage in the region remains vital. Today, that presence — along with the wider Christian identity of Jerusalem — is under threat.

The time has come for unity. Not only among Armenians, but among all Christians — to protect their rights, their faith, and their sacred traditions.

The Holy Fire ceremony, meant to bring light to the world, should never be met with darkness and force. It’s not just about a ritual — it’s about the right to exist, to pray, and to live with dignity in the land where Christianity was born.

As we mark Easter, the resurrection of Christ, may the light of hope and justice shine brighter than ever in the streets of Jerusalem.

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