Gaza's Christians mourn 'true loss' of Pope Francis but hail his enduring solidarity

Christians in Gaza are mourning the death of Pope Francis and heralding the solidarity he showed Palestinians throughout his life and during Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.

"Remember his humility as he spoke with us during the siege, death, war, and famine," Palestinian Christian journalist Philip Jahshan told Middle East Eye.

"He was our true loss. He was the hand of God that worked. The Lord gave and the Lord took away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Pope Francis, farewell."

Elias al-Jalda, a Christian activist and resident of the Latin Monastery Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza and a shelter for the local community, described the news of the pope's death on Monday as "very painful".

Jalda said Pope Francis, an Argentinian who led the Catholic Church since 2013, was a "kind person, a friend and a supporter of the Palestinian cause".

"He sympathised with us greatly and gave instructions to the church in Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarchate to bring in aid and food," the 59-year-old said, adding that the pontiff was in daily contact with church leaders in Gaza City and that aid and food were distributed to Palestinians regardless of their religious background.

"He was sympathetic to the people of Gaza and the Palestinian cause, he was always pushing to stop the war, he was always in pain and prayed constantly in order to end the war," Jalda said.

"He felt that what was happening was a form of genocide, and that the people did not deserve to live in this way and suffer from massacres and loss, and that it is not permissible to kill children in this way."

A supporter of the Palestinian cause

Since Israel began its war on Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023, over 51,266 people have been killed, with at least 116,991 wounded.

Like many living in the besieged enclave, Jalda - who is a father of three - has experienced great loss, including the destruction of his home and the death of friends, relatives and colleagues. 

'He was sympathetic to the people of Gaza and the Palestinian cause, he was always pushing to stop the war'

- Elias al-Jalda, Palestinian Christian

He notes that over 80 percent of Christians in Gaza - most of whom are Orthodox - have been forced to leave their homes and take refuge in the Latin Monastery Church, where he and his wife have been sheltering since the start of the war.  

Despite its struggles, the Catholic Church has strengthened its resolve to remain in Gaza.

"The pope has always encouraged us to stay in our country and helps in encouraging the provision of all necessary things, such as water and food, to the best of our ability," Jalda said. 

A Palestinian Christian in Gaza City, who preferred to remain anonymous, told MEE how much he admired and looked up to the late pope, describing him as "a compassionate father and the primary supporter of every Christian in Gaza and of every vulnerable, needy, and poor person".

The 36-year-old Christian said that although he was mourning the pope's passing, he felt "content because his great life and work were pleasing to the Lord".

"He supported us throughout the war as Palestinians before being Christians. His supportive statements and calls for assistance to the people of Palestine were a source of great hope for us. The humanitarian and material aid provided was a miracle throughout the war."

Tributes from all sides

Like many others, the Palestinian Christian speaking anonymously to MEE appreciated the pope for his near-daily communication with the Christian community in Gaza, adding that he had encouraged hopes that "injustice will end".

"The pope was the most important voice of peace for us. In my life as a Christian in a country with a Christian minority, the pope's work on peace and coexistence with other religions had a profound impact on us, strengthening our resilience," he said. 

'In my life as a Christian in a country with a Christian minority, the pope's work on peace and coexistence with other religions had a profound impact on us'

- Palestinian Christian in Gaza

Meanwhile, Jalda spoke of his feelings of loss: "Today, the bell in the church is ringing, not for prayer, but in mourning and sadness for Pope Francis, because we are in mourning today."

The pope's death prompted tributes from a broad range of Palestinian leaders, both Christian and non-Christian.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau in Gaza, and the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, all hailed him.  

A day before his death, caused by a stroke and subsequent heart failure, Pope Francis appeared on Easter Sunday at the balcony of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, as an aide read out a benediction in which the pope condemned the "deplorable humanitarian situation" caused by Israel's onslaught on Gaza.

"I express my closeness to the sufferings… of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people," the pope said. 

"I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace."

Hope and fear over successor 

The question of who will succeed Pope Francis is a source of anxiety in Gaza. 

"Now, as a Christian in Gaza, I feel anxious and cautious about who will come after Pope Francis: a person who supports and backs our cause, or will we hear different statements?" Jalda said.

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"We hope that whoever comes after him will be a good successor to God, similar to the pope’s position, and a supporter of us, because I am convinced that it is not permissible for a religious man to stand with the oppressor against the oppressed, to support the tyrant at the expense of the victim," he said.

Jalda said he hoped the next pope would "stand against falsehood and stand with the truth", adding that "whoever stands with the Israeli side stands with the oppressor and does not stand with the oppressed".

The anonymous Palestinian Christian holds a strong belief that the next pope will also stand in solidarity with Palestinians.

"I do not expect, but I believe, that just as God provided us with a merciful and great pope like Francis, he will provide for this position someone who is worthy of it and who will help us as Christians in Gaza and as the Palestinian people."