Fr Romanelli: Christmas in Gaza marked by prayer and hope despite the bombs

The parish priest of the Holy Family shares a video testimony of these days of Advent with AsiaNews. Life has ‘slightly improved’ after the ceasefire, but the war ‘continues’. The humanitarian emergency remains current in a climate ‘of great depression because there is no end in sight’. A tormented community that finds strength in faith and prayer.

Gaza City (AsiaNews) - Life after the ceasefire ‘has slightly improved’ because ‘there are no more widespread bombings’, but the war ‘is continuing’. This is what Fr Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Latin Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, a community that ‘finds its strength in prayer’, said in a video message in English sent to AsiaNews (click here to watch it).

‘For example,’ continues the Argentine priest of the Incarnate Word, ‘we try to celebrate and live the Christmas season in the best way possible,’ because spiritual life ‘is the only thing that gives us true peace in our hearts.’

In a situation that remains one of serious crisis, with bombs and a humanitarian emergency still ongoing, there is a climate of ‘great depression among the population, including Christians, because there is no end in sight,’ says the religious. Even the children ‘suffer greatly,’ although the resumption of oratory activities and lessons provides some relief, albeit on a reduced scale because Christian schools still house refugees today.

‘Our strength comes from God, from prayer, from our faith,’ concludes Fr Romanelli, who dedicates a final thought to the Jubilee of Hope that is about to end: ‘Calvary,’ he emphasises, ‘always speaks to us of hope. But human hope is not clear; it seems that the world is forgetting the situation in Gaza. The war continues and peace, so far, has not arrived.’

Below is the full transcript of Fr Romanelli's message. Translation by AsiaNews:

Good morning, dear friends! Our life after the ceasefire has improved slightly, because there are no more widespread bombings, but unfortunately the war is continuing. We still hear bombs today, especially because we are very close to the ‘Yellow Line’. There is more humanitarian aid, but it is still not enough. There are great difficulties in distribution, the associations on the ground are busy and trying to do their best to get goods and aid to the market.

The most important and at the same time most dangerous thing is that people are very depressed because no one, until now, sees a clear sign that this war is over. People need even the most basic things to live, not only to rebuild Gaza, but also, for example, electricity: you can see the light here, thanks to the generator and the small solar panel, but most civilians – more than two million people in Gaza – have had no electricity for over two years. The same goes for water: the majority of the population does not have access to drinking water, which is why many gastrointestinal diseases are developing and spreading throughout the Strip, even within our compound, where we have so far welcomed and are still hosting over 400 refugees.

Even though they are living in tents, people need electricity, they need water, they need other things. Even people who are trying to live in their homes, or rather what remains of their homes, still need a little water, wood, plastic, something to cover themselves and shelter from the cold because winter has arrived here too. They need clothes, which are essential for winter. This is the reality, but in particular, people need a clear sign that the war is over and that they can try to live in their own land.

With the other priest, who is also a member of my congregation of the Incarnate Word and is here, as well as the sisters of the same congregation, the sisters of Mother Teresa, as religious here in Gaza, we always receive the support of our bishop, Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and thanks to the generosity of the Latin Patriarch, of you and of many other friends, we have been able to help tens of thousands of families, especially children.

To date, we have had several initiatives, for example with children with Down syndrome, or with serious illnesses or severe malnutrition: we have helped them together with their families, we have helped over a thousand children and thousands of families, in the face of enormous needs. In all this, the situation inside and outside the compound is difficult, but we try to do our best. We try to continue with our lives, and we continue to pray, usually for three hours a day, with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Rosary, Mass and other prayers. Every day we pray for peace.

The children suffer greatly, but thank God, a few months after the war began, we resumed the activities of the oratory and also the school inside the compound. At least here the children find some consolation from their suffering, but we have many more children than we had in our community before the war. And we must not forget that the three Catholic schools – the Latin Patriarchate, the Holy Rosary and the Holy Family – had 2,250 students, and now, at this moment, we can unfortunately only guarantee lessons for 160 children because the three schools, despite having been spared from the bombs, are full of refugees, full of refugees, and we have no other space. We have tried to find other solutions, but it is not easy.

Our strength comes from God, from prayer, from our faith, from our hope, and we try to live the fruits of our charity and share them with everyone. And as for the Holy Jubilee Year of Hope, are there any signs? Yes, for spiritual life, because Calvary always speaks to us of hope. But human hope is not clear; it seems that the world is forgetting the situation in Gaza. The war continues and peace, so far, has not come.

So there are many people throughout the region - from Palestine, from Israel - of different religions who want, desire and work for peace, but more help is needed from the entire international community.

And to those of you who ask me how I maintain peace in my heart, I reply by starting with my relationship with God first of all, with the Lord, with silence and meditation, almost silence and meditation because there is a lot of noise and commotion [of war], but I try to do it. An hour of silence and meditation. And then the other prayers, the liturgical prayers. For example, we try to celebrate and live the Christmas season in the best way possible. Spiritual life is the only thing that gives us true peace in our hearts, and with true peace in our hearts we try to sow and spread peace everywhere around us for all people.

I thank you knight and dames of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and everywhere, thank you for your prayers, for your support. Please continue to help us with your prayers, continue to help us with your moral support for peace and justice. And continue also to support the Latin Patriarchate so that we may continue to do our best for the glory of God and the good of every person.