‘Taught us every day to be brave’: How Pope Francis’ death has left a void in Gaza’s only Catholic Church | World News

Until the day before his passing, Pope Francis maintained a nightly routine: to call Gaza’s Holy Family Church and check in with the people taking shelter at the lone Catholic Church in the war-battered region.
The calls which began after the Israel-Gaza war escalated in October 2023 became a source of reassurance for the small Chrian community who now feel the void after the pontiff’s demise.
George Antoun, head of the church’s emergency committee, said the Pope made calls “almost every day” since October 7. “He used to tell each one: ‘I am with you, don’t be afraid,’” Antoun told Reuters. “We lost a saint who taught us every day how to be brave, how to keep patient and stay strong.”
Story continues below this ad

WATCH: Final call, just a day before his death
Pope Francis’ final call to Gaza reportedly took place on the night of April 20. Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of the Holy Family Church, said the Pope concluded the conversation with a blessing and gratitude for the community’s prayers.

The next day, the Pope greeted a crowd of more than 35,000 in St. Peter’s Square, during his surprise public appearance on Easter Sunday. He mentioned Gaza in his Easter message from St. Peter’s Square, appealing for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
In Gaza, where the Chrian population has dwindled to a few hundred amid war and blockade, the Pope’s death left a deep impact. “He was our biggest supporter after God. He always healed our wounds and asked us to be strong,” said Suhail Abu Dawoud, a 19-year-old Chrian. “He was always praying for us.”

Tributes also poured in from elsewhere in the Middle East. In Lebanon, Marie-Jo Dib, a social worker, told Reuters: “He was a rebel and I really pray that the next pope will be like him.”
For Gaza’s Chrians, Pope Francis was more than a religious figurehead. “He was with us step step and day day,” said Antoun. “He left a big inheritance in Gaza. He is the saint of Gaza.”Story continues below this ad
Pope Francis passed away after prolonged illness in Rome on Monday. Francis was the first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, and was elected as the supreme pontiff on March 13, 2013, ending an often turbulent reign marked division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.
(With inputs from Reuters and AP)
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

Expand