Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch vows not to abandon Gaza Christians

GAZA CITY: Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa pledged Monday not to abandon Gaza’s Christian community as he visited the territory with his Greek Orthodox counterpart.
Pizzaballa and Patriarch Theophilos III arrived for a pastoral visit aimed at supporting both Gaza’s small Christian population and its wider community after years of war and hardship.
“We want to bring the greetings from all the churches in Jerusalem, and to bring also our prayer and our desire for support and unity,” Pizzaballa told a service at Gaza City’s Holy Family Church.
“We never abandoned you and you’ll never be abandoned,” he said, according to video published on the congregation’s Facebook page.
The visit comes as Gaza’s dwindling Christian community of around 1,000 people faces displacement, insecurity and severe shortages of basic items alongside the rest of the population.
In a statement announcing the trip, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said the visit reflected “the pastoral responsibility of the Churches of Jerusalem toward the local churches and toward the whole population of Gaza, where families continue to endure grave humanitarian suffering, fear, loss and uncertainty.”
During their stay, Pizzaballa and Theophilos III are scheduled to meet clergy, religious communities, families and others affected by the ongoing crisis.
Pizzaballa is also expected to participate in an interfaith dialogue at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University later on Monday.
Pizzaballa and Theophilos III are being accompanied by representatives of relief organization Malteser International.
Pizzaballa previously traveled to Gaza a few days before Christmas last year to celebrate mass at the Holy Family Church.
He also visited with Theophilos III last July, after Israeli fire struck the church, killing three people.