Jerusalem, July 23, 2025
Photo: jerusalem-patriarchate.info His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem, held a joint press conference in the Holy City this morning following their pastoral visit to Gaza, where they witnessed the extensive suffering of the population under ongoing bombardment, siege, and deprivation.
Speaking to gathered clergy and press, Pat. Theophilos III described Gaza as “a land bruised by prolonged affliction and pierced by the cries of its people.” The Orthodox Patriarch emphasized that the Church entered Gaza “as servants of the suffering Body of Christ, walking among the wounded, the bereaved, the displaced, and the faithful whose dignity remains unbroken despite their agony.”
During the visit, which began on July 18, the two Patriarchs witnessed damage to Christian holy sites, including the Catholic Church of the Holy Family and the Orthodox Monastery of St. Porphyrius. “Among the broken walls of the Church of the Holy Family and the Monastery of St. Porphyrios and the wounded hearts of their faithful, we witnessed both profound grief and unyielding hope,” Patriarch Theophilos III stated.
The Jerusalem Patriarch stressed that the Church’s role extends beyond symbolic presence. “The Church’s mission in times of devastation is rooted in the ministry of presence, of standing with those who mourn, of defending the sacredness of life, and of witnessing to the light that no darkness can extinguish,” he said during his opening remarks.
He cited Scripture throughout his statement, referencing Christ’s teaching that Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me (Mt. 25:40) and St. Paul’s instruction to Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2).
The visit followed recent attacks on Christian sites in Gaza, including the July 16 bombing of the Church of the Holy Family, which killed three Orthodox Christians who were sheltered there and wounded nine others, including parish priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli. The attack also destroyed medical equipment serving people with special needs.
Addressing the international community directly, Pat. Theophilos III declared: “To the international community, we say: silence in the face of suffering is a betrayal of conscience. To the whole people of Gaza, we the Church and her leaders stand in solidarity with you.”
The Patriarch concluded his statement by emphasizing action over rhetoric, quoting 1 John 3:18: “Let us not love with words or speech alone but with actions and in truth.” He called the moment “a summons to conscience” and asked for divine mercy to “guide every hand that seeks to mend what has been torn.”
Both Patriarchs described the ongoing situation in Gaza as “a humanitarian and moral catastrophe that cannot be ignored” and affirmed the Church’s commitment to remain “a living voice of truth, bearing the Cross of hope in the face of injustice.”
The joint visit represented a show of unity amid the crisis, with the Orthodox and Latin Churches working together to provide relief efforts and spiritual support to their faithful who have been enduring what they described as a “relentless humanitarian catastrophe” for over twenty-one months.
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