Holy Sepulchre Doors Removed: Symbol of Catholic Usurpation

The article from EWTN News reports that the monumental wooden doors at the entrance of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem were removed on February 19, 2026, for restoration work as part of an ongoing flooring project. The decision was made by consensus among the several Christian communities that share ownership and use of the site: the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, and the Armenian, Coptic, Syriac Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. The doors, last repaired in 1810, showed structural deterioration. Temporary panels with photographic reproductions now cover the entrance. The article provides historical context, noting that after Saladin’s 1187 conquest, all doors were walled up and Christians had to pay a tax to enter. In the 14th century, religious of various denominations locked themselves inside to ensure continuous prayer. A small hatch in the door historically allowed food delivery and access to the lock. In 1832, Muhammad Ali of Egypt allowed daily opening and abolished the tax. The doors have also been sites of tension, such as a 2018 protest closure against discriminatory tax measures and pandemic closures.

This mundane report on architectural restoration is, in fact, a stark symbol of the post-conciliar Church’s abdication of Catholic sovereignty and its embrace of ecumenical indifferentism, which constitutes a direct betrayal of the immutable rights of the one true Church founded by Christ.