Latin Patriarch: It will be a difficult Easter

Scouts in Bethlehem during a visit by Patriarch Pizzaballa - Image: Vatican Media

Source: Vatican Media

Speaking on the eve of Holy Week, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, told Italian TV station TV2000 the situation in Gaza in "intolerable".

"It is objectively intolerable," he said. "We have always had many problems of all kinds, and even the economic-financial situation has always been very fragile, but there has never been hunger before."

"Everyone - religious, political, and social communities," said Patriarch Pizzaballa, "must do everything possible to put an end this situation."

"The weakness of the United States, creates a great dilemma, because, until now, there has always been someone to put things in order. Now there is no longer anyone to play this role, and we have to do it ourselves. I don't know if, how, or when this will be possible."

Speaking days before the beginning of Holy Week, Patriarch Pizzaballa offered his reassurances that permits will be granted to Christians living in Palestinian territories to allow them to visit Jerusalem for liturgies.

"We'll get the permits," he said. "We insisted, saying that as they had given permits to Muslims for Ramadan, they should also give them to Christians for Easter. Even if the numbers are smaller, we will have several thousand permits both for Palm Sunday and for Easter."

"It will be a difficult Easter. I think of the loneliness of Jesus in Gethsemane, which is now shared by all of us," Cardinal Pizzaballa concluded.