Gaza Christians mourn Pope Francis’ death: ‘He gave us hope’

A man holds up a phone for Father Gabriel Romanelli, Parish Priest of the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family, to have a video conference call with Pope Francis as the latter blesses the congregation during Christmas Eve mass at the church in the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City on December 24, 2024, amid the ongoing war in the besieged Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-PresseGAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories — Palestinian Christians in Gaza on Monday mourned the death of Pope Francis, who had maintained close and consistent video contact with the small Christian community in the territory throughout the ongoing war.Since the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas, Francis had regularly called Gaza’s Christians, often several times a week, offering prayers, encouragement, and solidarity.Article continues after this advertisementBelow are reflections shared with AFP by some members of Gaza’s Christian community following the death of...