Gaza's Christian community persevering amid hardship

Mass by candlelight at Church of the Holy Family when there is no electricity. Image: ACN

Source: Vatican Media

The parish priest of Gaza's small Catholic community, Father Gabriel Romanelli, says his flock is exhausted by war and a severe lack of food.

In an interview with Vatican Radio, he asks not to be forgotten and for continued prayers, which are an unending source of hope.

"The price of flour is around 18 euros per kilo, tomatoes about 23, a single onion between 12 and 15 euros. A kilo of sugar costs at least 100 euros. But coffee, bitter or not, is out of reach entirely: it goes for no less than 250 euros per kilo."

But he says: "Let me be clear, these prices are almost theoretical. Before we talk about paying for anything, we need to find it. And that is nearly impossible.

"When available, we rely on small makeshift wartime gardens, tended by impromptu farmers. But these are becoming increasingly rare, as most of the population has fled toward the south of Gaza."

When asked what people are managing to eat in these difficult times, Fr Romanelli says: "The aid we had stored during the truce allowed us to sustain ourselves for the past few months, and even to help several Muslim families living in the neighbourhood of the parish. But after Israel halted humanitarian aid on March 3, nothing else has arrived. Since then, we've had to keep what remains for ourselves-and even then, we are rationing it carefully. Most of the homes near our parish compound are now empty. All around us, there is only death and destruction. Day and night, we live with the sound of bombs falling, sometimes just a few hundred metres from the church. It is surreal, but after 21 months, these terrible explosions have become part of our daily routine."

The Christian community of the Holy Family Parish now numbers around 500. Father Gabriel explains: "We are camped out in every corner of the parish grounds. Before October 7, there were 1,017 Christians in Gaza. Around 300 managed to leave when the Rafah crossing to Egypt was still open. Fifty-four have died- 16 were killed in the bombing of Saint Porphyrius Church of the Orthodox Patriarchate. Among our own faithful, elderly musician Elham Farah was killed in November 2023. A month later, Nahida and Samar-mother and daughter - were shot just outside the church. Others died due to the war itself - those suffering from heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions who no longer had access to vital medications. There are still about 50 disabled individuals and sick children being lovingly cared for by the Missionaries of Charity, the sisters of Mother Teresa."

Father Romanelli acknowledges the deep fatigue and anxiety that has settled over the community: "We feel almost entirely alone in this area. The only thing that keeps us together and gives us hope is prayer. In this situation, the power of prayer is truly great, it is what keeps us united and prevents us from falling into despair. Receiving your phone calls means so much, as does reading the short reports sent by our young parishioners, Suhail and Helda. Thank you for publishing them in English as well - this allows more people to understand what we are living. The nightly phone calls from Pope Francis were a tremendous source of strength.

"To know that we are just a small part of something much greater - the universal Church - and to know that over a billion Christians around the world are praying for this small, suffering community, gives us extraordinary resilience. Food, medicine, and fuel are as essential to us as prayer itself. Without prayer, ours and yours, we would not have made it this far. We are counting on you."