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Friday, December 19, 2025
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem visits Gaza City parish, will lead Christmas mass there
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visits Gaza City’s Holy Family Parish ahead of the Christmas holiday, says the Patriarchate.
Pizzaballa, the top Catholic figure in Israel and the Palestinian territories, “will review the current situation of the parish, including the humanitarian response, ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts, and the prospects for the period ahead,” according to his office.
He will also meet with local priests and community members.
On Sunday, Pizzaballa will preside over the Christmas Mass at Holy Family, Gaza’s only Catholic church.
“This visit marks the beginning of the Christmas celebrations among a community that has lived and continues to live through dark and challenging times,” says the Patriarchate.
This is Pizzaballa’s third visit to Gaza during the war.
In July, an IDF tank shell hit the church and killed three people and injured several others, including parish priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli. The strike sparked international condemnation and an expression of “deep sorrow” from Israel, which says the incident was an accident.
The Times of Israel Community.