Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, arrived in Gaza on December 19 for a pastoral visit to the Holy Family Parish, only days ahead of Christmas.
Along with Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali, the Latin patriarchal vicar, and a small delegation, the cardinal’s visit serves as a gesture of solidarity with the small Catholic community, which has endured more than two years of conflict and extreme hardship, including what the Israel Defense Forces described as an accidental fatal attack on the parish compound in June 2025.
Cardinal Pizzaballa was greeted by children wearing Santa hats amid the festive decorations.
Since the war began in October 2023, the Catholic parish has sheltered hundreds of displaced people.
During Cardinal Pizzaballa’s three-day visit, he will assess the parish’s current situation, including humanitarian aid efforts, relief work, and future plans. During the visit, he is scheduled to meet with local clergy, led by parish pastor Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, as well as parishioners, to hear directly about community needs.
On Sunday, December 21, Cardinal Pizzaballa is set to celebrate an early Christmas Mass at the parish, opening the holiday celebrations for a community that continues to face significant challenges, including ongoing limits on humanitarian aid despite recent improvements under a fragile ceasefire.
He noted that each time he visits, even during the war, there is always a baptism to celebrate, adding that there can be no Christmas without baptism. He described it as a wonderful expression of faith—an affirmation of belief in life and in Jesus.
During the visit, Cardinal Pizzaballa said he felt “a little bit of relief” for the first time since the war began more than two years ago, and he praised the Holy Family parishioners for remaining “strong in faith during this terrible period.”
In his greetings, the cardinal said he brought messages of goodwill from all over the world, noting that countless churches, groups, associations, and individuals worldwide are united with the community at this time.