Since October 7, Pope Francis has paid special attention to the war in the Holy Land. As Israeli bombs began falling on Gaza in response to an unprecedented Hamas attack, the pontiff spoke often with parishioners at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City, where hundreds of Palestinians had taken shelter.
The pope called the church “every day to say ‘hello’, to ask how they are doing, and to impart his blessing,” according to parish priest Fr. Gabriele. The frequent contact with Gaza’s only Catholic church is perhaps one reason for Francis’s emphatic stance against the war. It also helps explain why, when an Israeli sniper allegedly killed two Christian women who had taken shelter at the church, the pope pulled no punches in his criticism.
“Unarmed civilians are the objects of bombings and shootings,” Francis said. “And this happened even inside the Holy Family parish complex, where there are no terrorists, but families, children, people who are sick or disabled, nuns.”
“This is war. This is terrorism,” he said. “May the drawing close of Christmas reinforce the commitment to open the paths to peace.”Läs artikel