Photo courtesy of WAFA news agency.
On Friday, Patriarch Pizzaballa arrived in Gaza City accompanied by a delegation from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as part of the annual Christmas pastoral visit to the Holy Family Church ahead of Christmas.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the Latin Catholic ecclesiastical patriarchate in Jerusalem, officially seated in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Cardinal Pizzaballa was greeted by children in Santa hats and keffiyeh — the checkered headscarf that's a global symbol of Palestinian nationalism — in the courtyard of the church compound, which was gaily decorated with twinkling lights and Christmas ornaments, as reported by AP.
“We will not forget what happened in Gaza, but we look ahead. We will rebuild our homes and schools, and we will rebuild our lives," Pizzaballa, the top Catholic leader in Jerusalem, said to several dozen people gathered for the festivity.
"We are from here, and we will remain here. In this sea of destruction, we seek to be an example to everyone of what it means to rebuild," he said.
He added, “For the first time since the outbreak of the war, I feel a measure of comfort being here among you,” continuing, “I know the situation is difficult, and I see it in the lives of children, in the school, and in the activities that continue despite everything. But even in this darkness, a flame of hope remains.”
Patriarch Pizzaballa emphasized that "Gaza is not alone," noting that churches, institutions, and Christians around the world stand united with its people.
"During the war, and even more clearly today, you have shown what it means to remain steadfast in faith," he said.
"You have offered a living testimony of resilience, faith, and hope—one that has reached the entire world."
He affirmed that all churches will remain united in accompanying Gaza and in rebuilding the church and life within it.
This year’s Christmas arrives as the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip continues unabated, leaving 1.6 million people on the verge of hunger.
Despite a ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States, Israel has repeatedly violated the terms with near-daily shelling and bombardment, which claimed the lives of approximately 400 Palestinians since the truce officially went into effect on October 10.
According WAFA news agency, the number of Christian people in Gaza has declined to around 700 during Israel's genocidal war, down from approximately 1,100 before the war began.
Many Christian families were forced to flee their homes, seeking shelter in the Church of the Holy Family, Saint Porphyrius Church, and the Baptist church located within Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City.
These three churches, however, were also targeted by Israeli strikes, resulting in deaths and injuries among displaced civilians who had taken refuge there.
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