The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, lights a candle in the Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza during his visit there on Dec. 22, 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Dec 23, 2024 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, met with journalists for his Christmas press conference immediately following a visit to Gaza on Dec. 22, where he celebrated Mass and encouraged the Christians there to be a light in the darkness of war.
Approximately 400 Christians have taken refuge since the beginning of the war in Holy Family Parish, the only Catholic church in Gaza, according to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.
At the press conference, the cardinal said he wanted to announce again that Jesus was born “for you.” He came “not to impose obligations, like the rulers of the earth, like Caesar Augustus,” but “to seek all those who, like him, have no place in history, like the shepherds.”
The press conference was not only a chance for the Latin patriarch to share an annual Christmas message but also an opportunity to share about his visit to the Catholic community in Gaza after Pope Francis noted over the weekend that the cardinal was unable to enter Gaza on Dec. 20 and referred to “machine-gunned children” and ongoing “cruelty” there.
“I finally entered; this is a fact. It is important to stick to the facts,” Pizzaballa said. “Entering Gaza is never easy — it is complicated with many issues, such as protocol and security, among others. However, there were also people who helped overcome the obstacles. This is what matters.”
He spoke with the pope on Sunday evening during his daily phone call to the parishioners of Gaza.
“We greeted each other, but it lasted no more than 10 or 15 seconds; there was no time to argue,” he joked, and continued: “The pope has always been very clear. Perhaps we are not used to a pope who does not use many nuances… He called for the end of this war, he has asked many times for the release of the hostages, while also clearly condemning the disproportionate response and the consequences of the war on the civilian population.”
“This war, like all wars, is very cruel, and it has a very strong impact on everyone, on the entire population,” the patriarch added.
A connoisseur of the Jewish world since his time of studies, Pizzaballa has established high-level relationships with religious leaders.
“The Christian-Jewish dialogue has been consolidated,” he highlighted. “It is not the first time it has gone through difficult moments. We must keep in mind one aspect that I consider important both from the Jewish and Catholic side: the desire for dialogue. And this desire is there. There are difficulties, but we will overcome them because we love each other and we want to continue on this important path.”
This is the second time the cardinal — the only one among religious representatives and international leaders — has entered Gaza since the war began. Compared with the first time, in May, the situation “has gotten much worse,” he said.
The small delegation from the patriarchate had to coordinate with both sides in order to avoid confusion because there were not many cars moving. “It’s important that everyone knows who is moving, who is there, in order to avoid misunderstanding and consequences,” the patriarch said.
What he saw in Gaza, the cardinal said, were piles of rubble, open sewers, and precarious sanitary conditions. In his ears was the constant buzz of drones and the sound of explosions and in his heart, a bittersweet feeling, a mixture of sadness and consolation.
“I saw a lot of life,” he said. “They are still able to smile and enjoy the simple things.”
Pizzaballa said he has decided to focus on life — like the barefoot children playing in the muck but who “still have the strength to laugh”; the men who ask for cigarettes, one of whom has lost everything, whose hearts are “free from feelings of hatred”; parents who “before food and a home, ask for school for their children. It means that they still are determined to continue, to invest their lives there.”
CNA previously reported on the initiative of study groups with the teachers who are taking refuge in the parish compound.
Pizzaballa pounded his fists on the chair: “We are determined; it is our mission, and it is a sign. Of course, we cannot have 1 million children, but it is clear that we have to start.”
The cardinal also expressed his thoughts on the exodus of Christians from Gaza and, more generally, from the West Bank.
“The Church doesn’t encourage emigration, not from Gaza, nor from any other place,” he stated. “On the contrary, we are helping them to remain, protecting them as much as we can. In any case, the Church always respects the freedom of its people. Some will leave. Not only is it possible, I think it’s probable. I did not perceive this desire among all of them. Some will leave, but the community will not disappear.”
The photos of Pizzaballa’s visit tell the story of the welcome at the Latin Parish of the Holy Family, where he celebrated Christmas Mass in advance and blessed the Nativity scene and the Christmass tree.
At the Mass, three children received their first holy Communion and three received the sacrament of confirmation.
Pizzaballa then visited families, one by one, as well as the sick and people with disabilities, including children.
“I wanted to stay for a few hours, to be with them, visit where they are living, their conditions, how they live, what they need. And I never heard a word of anger. Never. Everything is destroyed in Gaza, but they are not destroyed. They are tired, but you can perceive life.”
The cardinal walked “what remains of the streets” to visit the Christian community at the nearby Church of St. Porphyrius. There, he lit a candle.
“You are the light of the world,” he told the faithful of Gaza in his homily.
“The world that looks at you must see to whom you belong, whether you belong to the light or to darkness. When the world looks at you, it must notice that you are different. … We are all proud of you, not only for what you do but because you have preserved your identity as Christians belonging to Jesus.”
Reached by CNA, the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, shared his joy at the visit.
“The word that sums it all up is ‘thank you.’ This is the word that people come to tell us. All the people, the families, came to ask for his blessing, for advice, to share their stories. He comforted everyone. He comforted the family of Nahida and Samar, who were killed a year ago by a sniper, by blessing their grave,” Romanelli said.
“We are waiting for Jesus, and just days before Christmas, we have experienced the presence of Jesus in the person of the patriarch,” one of the parishioners said to Romanelli.
“The last few weeks have been very tough, even for the most optimistic,” the priest added. “This visit, the words of the patriarch about the Church not abandoning its children, have given new hope.”
On Dec. 24, in the afternoon, there will still be Christmas Mass.
“After the celebration, we will go to the various rooms where the families live, singing Christmas carols and distributing some gifts,” Romanelli said. “We’ve tried to set aside some toys, and so we will surprise the children by bringing them a gift from baby Jesus.”
Pizzaballa’s message at the press conference can be viewed in its entirety here.
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