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‘The cross remained,’ Franciscan official says after attack on Gaza parish
July 21, 2025
» Continue to this story on L'Osservatore Romano (Italian)
CWN Editor's Note: Reflecting on the Israeli attack on Gaza’s sole Catholic parish, the vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land (the Franciscan province there) said that “the white stone cross, placed on the Latin church in Gaza, remained intact, firm and steadfast, watching over a suffering and fearful community. This was my first thought when I saw the images of the facade of the parish church in Gaza struck by a missile.”
Father Ibrahim Faltas, OFM, recalled that over 600 people have been housed in the parish complex since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. In discussing casualties from the attack, Father Faltas said that “the conditions of the parish’s 53 disabled residents are also of particular concern: in addition to the lack of medicines and specialized care, there is also the loss and malfunction of medical equipment and respirators, which were damaged by the explosion.”
“The Church of Gaza, outraged by the violence, welcomes prayers imploring peace and asking for a return to life in safety and dignity,” he concluded. “A white stone cross, with clean, essential lines, watches over the parish. White, essential, clean, like peace.”
The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
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