Pope Francis’ Death Sparks Deep Mourning Among Gazan Christians: Father Romanelli
Father Gabriel Romanelli. Photo: teleSUR
April 25, 2025 Hour: 9:11 am
In a conversation with teleSUR, Gabriel Romanelli, a Catholic priest living in Gaza, talks about Pope Francis’ calls for peace.
On Thursday, teleSUR spoke exclusively with Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of the Holy Family Church located in the Zaytoun neighborhood of the Gaza Strip.
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This Roman Catholic priest recalled that Pope Francis has been constantly concerned about the situation of the Palestinians since the beginning of the Zionist offensive in 2023. Below are the priest’s remarks.
“I am Father Gabriel Romanelli. I am Argentine, a Catholic missionary in the Gaza Strip, and parish priest of the Church of the Holy Family, part of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. I have lived here for the past six years. This period of war is horrible, and sadly, there are no signs of an end in sight.
Since the beginning of these tragic days in October 2023, Pope Francis has called us every day to express his closeness and ask us about the situation of the Christian community, as there are about 500 of us here, mostly Orthodox Christians and Catholics. He sent us blessings and asked us to protect the poor and children.
Thanks be to God, we were able to help thousands of families, not only in the Christian community but also in our neighbors, the Muslim community.
We received the news of Pope Francis’s death—very sad news. But at the same time, the entire people recognized it as a sign: he died at Easter, on the Feast of the Resurrection. People recognized in this the sign of God’s love.
Pope Francis’s last phone call was on Holy Saturday. He taught us to be grateful for our prayers and remember every sin we have committed. At the same time, he prayed for the community and sent his prayers and blessings.
Our desire is for this war to end. On Sunday, from the Vatican, Pope Francis made a final appeal to end this war and asked that humanitarian aid be allowed.
We pray for everyone. We pray for peace. The Church, at all times and in all circumstances, stands with the suffering people.”
teleSUR/ JF
Source: teleSUR