Members of the small Christian community of Gaza said they were “broken heart” on Monday (21) with the death of Pope Francis.
The Pontiff campaigned for peace in the devastated territory and spoke to them by telephone every night during the war.
Throughout the Middle East, Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, praised Francis’ constant involvement with them as a source of comfort at a time when their communities faced wars, disasters, difficulties and persecution.
“We lost a saint who taught us every day as being brave, how to maintain patience and stay strong. We lost a man who fought every day in all directions to protect his little herd,” commented George Antone, 44, head of the Sagrada Familia Church Emergency Committee in Gaza, to the Reuters news agency.
In October 2023, Antone said, the beginning of what Vatican’s news service would describe as a night routine throughout the war. He made a point of talking not only to the priest, but to all the other present, said Antone.
“We are heartbroken by Pope Francis’ death, but we know that he is leaving behind a church that cares about us and knows us by name-each of us,” said Antone, referring to the Christians of Gaza, who add hundreds.
“He used to say to each one: I’m with you, don’t be afraid.”
Francisco finished last Saturday night (19), said the parish priest of the parish of the Holy Family, Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, to the Vatican news service.
“He said he was praying for us, blessed us and thanked us for our prayers,” said Romanelli.
The next day, Francis appeared for peace in Gaza, asking the parties to conflict to “declare a ceasefire, liberate the hostages and help a hungry people who aspire to a future of peace.”
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Pope Francis after conclave in 2013 • Getty Images
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Papa Francisco poses for a photo with homelessness at the Covid-19 Vaccination Center in Rome • Photo: Official Press of the Holy See
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Pope Francis is greeted by faithful upon arriving at the National Shrine of Our Lady Aparecida, in the city of Aparecida (SP). The Pontiff will celebrate a mass in the Basilica for about 15,000 people. On the side, screens were installed to accompany the celebration.
Brazil, Aparecida, SP, 07/24/2013. • Miguel Schincariol/AE/AE/Code Image: 139809
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Pope Emeritus Benedict and Pope Francis in 2020
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Papa Francisco meets young people in Jakarta, Indonesia
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Pope Francis and Javier Milei talk during canonization ceremony of the first Argentina Saint • Reuters
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Papa Francisco arrives in Lisbon for World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal
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King Charles and Queen Camilla meet with Pope Francis • Vatican media
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Pope Francis during a meeting for peace in Verona, Italy • Reuters
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Pope Francisco if encontra com Ukranian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, no Vatican • 13/5/2023 Vatican/Disclosure via Reuters/File
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Lula with Pope Francis after G7 event • 14/06/2024Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS
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Pope Francis: ‘Indifference, selfishness, division and forgetfulness are words that must be banned’ • Photo: Andreas Solaro/Pool via Reuters
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Pope Francis defending peace
In the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, where many Christians believe that Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, the Latin community, Father Stephane Milovitch, said that Francis defended peace.
“We wish peace to come very soon to this land and that the next Pope can help to have peace in Jerusalem and all over the world,” he said.
In Lebanon, where a war between Israel and Hezbollah caused many victims and extensive damage last year, expelling millions of people from their homes, members of the Maronite Catholic community commented on Francis’ frequent mentions to the current situation.
“He is a saint for us because he carried Lebanon and the Middle East in his heart, especially in the last period of war,” said a priest in the city of RMEISH, southern Lebanon, which was severely destroyed during the Israeli military campaign last year.
“We always felt that he was very involved and mobilized all the Catholic institutions and funds to help Lebanon during the crises we went through,” said Marie-Jo Dib, who works at a social foundation in Lebanon.
“He was a rebel and I really pray that the next Pope is like him,” he added.
Pontiff trips to the Middle East
Francisco made repeated trips to the Middle East, including Iraq in 2021, where he learned that two bomb men tried to murder him in Mosul, a cosmopolitan city where the Islamic State militant group proclaimed a caliphate from 2014 to 2017.
He visited the ruins of four destroyed churches and cast an appeal for peace.
In Syria, the Archbishop Antiba Nicolas said he was celebrating a mass in the historic church of Zawan, Damascus, when he received a piece of paper with the news.
“He used to say ‘dear Syria’ every time he spoke of Syria. He appealed to all international organizations to support Syria, the Christian presence and the Church in Syria during the crisis of recent years,” said Nicolas.
