As Christmas approaches, the priest of the only Catholic parish in Gaza, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, tells Aid to the Church in Need that his community is attempting to keep the “flame of hope” alive, and thanks benefactors for the material and spiritual support they provide to the Holy Land.

“Our situation is better than a month-and-a-half ago, when the ceasefire began, but this does not mean that things are well. They remain very serious, very delicate,” says Fr. Gabriel Romanelli of the Holy Family parish in Gaza, which depends on the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in a message to ACN.

“Many people are saying that the war is going to end, but it has not ended yet. And therefore, peace has not yet arrived,” the priest warns. The greatest concern at the moment is the fact that Gazans cannot yet see the light at the end of the tunnel: “They cannot see any clear sign that peace is arriving.”

His concerns were amplified in the Christmas Message by the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem.

“While this year we rejoice that a ceasefire has allowed many of our communities to more publicly celebrate the joys of Christmas, we nevertheless pay heed to the Prophet Jeremiah’s warning against those saying ‘Peace, peace, when there is no peace.’ (Jeremiah 6:14) For we are fully aware that, despite a declared cessation of hostilities, hundreds have continued to be killed or suffer grievous injury. Many more have experienced violent assaults against themselves, their properties, and their freedoms— not only in the Holy Land, but also in neighboring countries,” the message says.

For now, the humanitarian crisis remains unabated and affects the entire population in the Palestinian enclave of over two million people. “We lack everything,” Fr. Romanelli says. Electricity has been down for two years, and the little the parish has comes from one of the small generators in the parish and the solar panels. “Unfortunately, most people do not have access to these,” he adds.

The same occurs with potable water. When it does reach neighborhoods, it is insufficient. “People wait one, two, or even three hours to get a few liters, which are then distributed and collected in containers and bottles,” the missionary explains. Temperatures have dropped; heavy rainfall has turned the ground to mud, and waste-contaminated pools abound, posing serious health risks.

Winter clothing needed

Basic infrastructures have reached breaking point. “The electrical grid, the water system, and the health system are all insufficient, according to the World Health Organization,” Fr. Romanelli stresses. Medication for chronic illness, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are scarce, and “the population desperately needs winter clothing for the cold weather, because most people have lost their homes, and are seeking shelter.”

In the midst of this situation, the Holy Family parish continues its mission. “Since the war began, we have helped, and continue to help, tens of thousands of families, but it is not enough,” he humbly recognizes. Quoting St. Teresa of Calcutta, he says, “It is like a drop in the ocean. It seems insignificant, but without us, the ocean would have one less drop.”

Besides the material help, the parish compound – currently home to over 400 refugees, most of whom are Christians – derives its strength from the spiritual life: daily Mass and adoration, recitation of the Rosary, and the Liturgy of the Hours, all in Arabic, the main language of the faithful. “We constantly try to light a flame of hope,” Fr. Romanelli says.

Sami El-Yousef, the Chief Executive Officer of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, lauded the commitment of the community which is headed by three priests and six resident religious sisters. “They are our heroes in Gaza, carrying out their work discreetly but constantly, at great personal expense,” he sais in a December 15 statement, “Reflections from the Holy Land.”

El Yousef also warned, however, that without “radical” change, current peace initiatives run the risk of joining the long list of past futile efforts, unable to provide a real exit from the crisis. In these conditions, he warned, it is “a matter of time” before the violence returns.

The Gaza Strip has been the scene of much violence and suffering since the October 7, 2023, invasion of Hamas into neighboring Israel. But it might surprise many that the area, some 2,000 years ago, hosted the Holy Family as it made its way to Egypt to escape King Herod. During this Christmas season, at the end of the Jubilee of Hope, Fr. Romanelli made a point of thanking ACN benefactors.

“Dear brothers and sisters, members of Aid to the Church in Need, this Christmas I want to thank you for all the help you have provided us, especially through the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and ask that you continue to give spiritual, moral, and material support to all of the Patriarchate’s initiatives,” he said, concluding with a simple “May God bless you, and Merry Christmas.”