by Kathryn Shihadah
We’re taking a short break from reporting on the genocide in Gaza to focus on sumud – that quality that enables Palestinians to carry on day after day.
Christians in Gaza
Gaza’s Christian population is estimated to be 800 to 1,000. They include both Catholics and Orthodox (the Orthodox church observes Christmas on January 7).
Gaza’s Catholic church is the Holy Family Parish; the the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius – one of the oldest churches in the world – serves the Orthodox community. Both are located in Gaza City.
One week into the war, Israel targeted the Greek Orthodox church, reportedly killing 18 people who had sought refuge there. In November, an 84-year-old music teacher who was sheltering in the Catholic church bled to death after being shot. In late December, an Israeli sniper shot to death two women at the Catholic church.
Cardinal Pizzaballa shares thoughts after Christmas visit to Gaza
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the leader of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, was granted permission by Israel to visit Gaza for Christmas.
Approximately 400 Christians have taken refuge since the beginning of the war in Holy Family Parish, the only Catholic church in Gaza.
This was the cardinal’s second trip to Gaza since the war started in October 2023. At a press conference, he commented that conditions have “gotten much worse” since his May visit, with rubble and sewage everywhere, the sound of drones overhead, and explosions all around.
But he had positive things to say about the small community.
“I saw a lot of life. They are still able to smile and enjoy the simple things.”
He was encouraged by the children who are in dire straits, but “still have the strength to laugh”; the people who have lost so much, but whose hearts are “free from feelings of hatred”; and the 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.”
“I wanted to stay for a few hours,” the cardinal said, “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.”
After celebrating Christmas mass and visiting with the congregation, the cardinal also walked to the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius to offer greetings.
According to St. Porphyrius’ parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, “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.”
“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.”
Addressing Pope Francis’ statements
At the press conference after his Gaza visit, Pizzaballa commented on recent remarks by Pope Francis, who has denounced the cruelty of Israel’s war twice in two days.
On Saturday, the pope had referenced the bombardment of children and said: “This is cruelty. This is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart”; again on Sunday, he said, “with pain I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children being machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. What cruelty.”
The cardinal told journalists, “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.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the pontiff’s statements, claiming that his words were “disappointing” and “disconnected” from reality. The ministry added, “The blame should be directed solely at the [Palestinians], not at the democracy defending itself against them. Enough with the double standards and the singling out of the Jewish state and its people.”
**NOTE: It is disingenuous to refer to Israel as a “democracy,” when in reality the Palestinians under Israeli rule (half of the total population) do not enjoy equality with Israeli Jews.
The Nation-State Law (passed in 2018) is perhaps the most blatant example of the country’s overt Jewish supremacy; a number of highly respected human rights organizations (including Israeli orgs) have cataloged the laws, systems, and practices in place, and deemed them to add up to apartheid (most notably: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the United Nations, and the Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem and Yesh Din).
Cardinal Pizzaballa’s Christmas Message to Christians in Gaza
Sunday Homily, December 22, 2024, on the Occasion of the Visit of His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to Celebrate Christmas at the Holy Family Church – Gaza.
I first express my great joy at being among you today and extend to you the greetings of everyone who conveys their love, prayers, and solidarity with you. Everyone wanted to come and be with you and bring gifts, but we couldn’t carry much. You have become the light of our Church in the entire world.
At Christmas, we celebrate the light and ask: Where is this light? The light is here, in this church. The beginning of the light is Jesus Christ, who is the source of our life. If we are a light to the world, it is only because of Him. At Christmas, I pray that Jesus grants us this light.
We are living in a time filled with darkness, and there is no need to elaborate because you know it well. In these moments, we must first look to Jesus, for He gives us the strength to endure this dark time. Over the past year, we have learned that we cannot rely on humans. How many promises were made and never fulfilled? And how much violence and hatred arose because of people?
To remain steadfast in hope, we must be deeply rooted in Jesus. If we are connected to Him, we can look at one another in a different way.
I don’t know when or how this war will end, and every time we approach the end, it seems like we start anew. But sooner or later, the war will end, and we must not lose hope. When the war ends, we will rebuild everything: our schools, our hospitals, and our homes. We must remain resilient and full of strength.
And I repeat: We will never abandon you, and we will do everything we can to support and assist you.
But most importantly, we must not allow hatred to infiltrate our hearts. If you want to remain a light, we must make our hearts available for Jesus alone.
This year has been a significant challenge to our faith, for all of us, and especially for you. Sometimes, we asked, “Until when, O Lord?” Today, we answer with our will: “We want this situation to end soon, but we want to remain with You, O Lord.” Christ affirmed this by saying, “I am Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
We must remain steadfast in our faith, pray for the end of this war, and trust completely that with Christ, nothing can overcome us.
Despite the violence we witnessed this past year, we also witnessed many miracles. Amidst the darkness, there were people who wanted to help and did not let anything stand in their way. The whole world, not just Christians, wanted to support and stand with you.
The war will end, and we will rebuild again, but we must guard our hearts to be capable of rebuilding. We love you, so never fear and never give up.
We must preserve our unity to keep the light of Christ here in Gaza, in our region, and in the world. We have a mission, and you must also give something, not just receive. The world that looks at you must see to whom you belong, whether you belong to the light or to darkness? Do you belong to Jesus, who gives his life, or another?
When the world looks at you, it must notice that we you different. One of you once said to me: “As Christians, there is no violence in our blood. We want to remain Christians and remain the light in this place.”
Thank you for everything you do. You may not notice it in your difficult daily life, but the whole world does. We are all proud of you, not only for what you do but because you have preserved your identity as Christians belonging to Jesus.
Belonging to Jesus makes everyone a friend to you, and our lives become lives of giving to all.
I conclude by saying: Thank you. May Christmas bring light to each of us. Do be afraid, for no one can take Christ’s light from us. Continue to give the good testimony of the Christian faith.
Merry Christmas!
A glimpse into the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius
Read more about Christians in Palestine, and western Christians’ relationship to Palestinian Christians, here and here.
STATISTICS OCTOBER 7, 2023 – DECEMBER 23, 2024:
Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – December 23, 2024: at least 46,163* – 45,338 in Gaza; in the West Bank, Israeli soldiers and/or settlers have killed at least 825 Palestinians (~170 of them children).
Thousands of those killed in Gaza have yet to be identified, and an estimated 11,000 more are still buried under rubble.
Palestinian injuries from October 7, 2023 – December 23, 2024: at least 114,264 (including at least 107,764 in Gaza and 6,500 in the West Bank, including 830 children). [It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.]
Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – December 23, 2024: ~1,595 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 417*** military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza (updated: Dec 17); 39 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel) and~10,000 injured.
Kathryn Shihadah is an editor and staff writer for If Americans Knew.
