Today the card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, entered Gaza and visited the parish of the Holy Family. The Latin Patriarchate reports this in a note. Present together with the cardinal were Fra Alessandro de Franciscis, great hospitalist of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Father Gabriele Romanelli, parish priest of Gaza and a small delegation. The patriarch met “the suffering population to encourage them and to convey a message of hope, solidarity and support”. The cardinal presided over the mass in the parish church with the local community. The visit was an opportunity to also greet the Orthodox parish of San Porfirio. The visit is also the first stage of a joint humanitarian mission by the Latin Patriarchate and the Sovereign Order of Malta, in collaboration with Malteser International and other partners, aimed at delivering life-saving food and medical assistance to the population of Gaza.
The visit to Gaza was anticipated by the patriarch himself in a video where he begins like this: “dear brothers and sisters, while you watch this video I will be in Gaza to visit the Christian community. I have long wanted to meet the faithful, be with them. Now I had this chance and I’m happy about it.” “The purpose of my visit is to be with them, to embrace them – continued the cardinal – to help them as much as possible, check their conditions and improve them. We need your prayers, that the entire Christian community pray together for the Christians of Gaza.”
