Amid the destruction witnessed during a pastoral visit to Gaza, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem said they found something more enduring — “the dignity of the human spirit”. Source: OSV News.
“We encountered something deeper than the destruction: the dignity of the human spirit that refuses to be extinguished. We met mothers preparing food for others, nurses treating wounds with gentleness, and people of all faiths still praying to the God who sees and never forgets,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said, reading from a prepared statement.
“Christ is not absent from Gaza. He is there — crucified in the wounded, buried under rubble and yet present in every act of mercy, every candle in the darkness, every hand extended to the suffering.”
The July 18-20 pastoral visit followed the Israeli shelling of the Holy Family Parish church compound in Gaza that killed three people and injured 10.
The patriarchs described the massive numbers of “starving and hungry-looking people” they saw stranded along the roads and the long lines of people waiting for food as they travelled to the church compound.
Prices on the black market have made basic nutrition unaffordable, worsening health conditions, especially for the elderly and children. “This is really very harsh to the heart,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said.
From his statement he read: “We have seen it: Men holding out in the sun for hours in the hope of a simple meal. This is a humiliation that is hard to bear when you see it with your own eyes. It is morally unacceptable and unjustifiable.”
“We encountered a people crushed by the weight of war, yet carrying within them the image of God. Among the broken walls of the Church of the Holy Family and the wounded hearts of its faithful, we witnessed both profound grief and unyielding hope,” Patriarch Theophilos said, reading from his statement.
He issued a moral appeal to global leaders and communities, warning that remaining silent amid human suffering amounted to a “betrayal of conscience.” He offered words of solidarity to the “children of Gaza,” assuring them that the Church stands with them in their pain.
Addressing those in positions of authority, he invoked a call for peace, reminding them of the biblical teaching: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
FULL STORY
Christ is not absent from Gaza, but crucified in the wounded, patriarchs say after visit (By Judith Sudilovsky, OSV News)
