Patriarch Pizzaballa has entered Gaza

We will never abandon you the cardinal tells worshippers

By: ansa.it

Dec 22 2024
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Patriarch Pizzaballa has enter

The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, crossed into the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem said. Cardinal Pizzaballa "entered the Gaza Strip this morning and reached the compound of the Holy Family parish church for a visit of solidarity and the celebration of Christmas", said the patriarchate, referring to the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip.
    Cardinal Piazzaballa told worshippers at the Holy Family parish church that they would not be left alone.
    "We will never abandon you", he said during his sermon.
    "Don't be afraid", the cardinal repeated and "preserve your hearts", "together we recall that Jesus is here with you". "I bring you the solidarity of the whole Church", "you have in some way become the light of our Church and Christmas is indeed the celebration of light" and "in this situation too we must see the sense of our lives".
    "Create relations, don't surrender to this situation", continued the cardinal, assuring that "people from all over the world, not only Christians, are with you".
    "So you can also give something because the whole world is watching.
    "It is necessary to choose whether to belong to the light or darkness, to Jesus or to someone else.
    "We are proud of you, not because of something special, but because you have remained what you are: Christians with Jesus.
    "We will bring with us the light of Jesus from here", concluded Pizzaballa, who administered confirmation to a group of youths.
    On Saturday evening, Israel's embassy to the Holy See denied reports published by the media earlier in the day that the Patriarch had not been granted access to Gaza, writing on X that the Patriarch's request to enter had been accepted, as had previously occurred in the past.
    Pope Francis on Saturday morning had been reported as saying that the Patriarch had not been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip during his Christmas address to the Catholic cardinals who head the Vatican's departments.