In the midst of Gaza’s devastation, where churches have become sanctuaries for the terrified and hungry, a small Catholic parish has emerged as a symbol of endurance and mercy. On October 15, the priests and sisters of the Holy Family Parish of Gaza will be honored in Rome with the Achille Silvestrini International Prize for Dialogue and Peace—a recognition that transcends borders and politics, reaching into the moral heart of a shattered land.

The award, established in 2022 to perpetuate the legacy of the late Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, celebrates those who embody the spirit of dialogue, reconciliation, and human fraternity. Few embody that spirit more tangibly than the small religious community that has continued its mission under bombardment, scarcity, and fear. “In a city besieged by hunger and destruction, the priests and sisters of the parish serve and protect hundreds of displaced and destitute people—women and children above all—offering an extraordinary witness to solidarity and peace,” read the citation announcing the honor.

Because the parish clergy cannot leave Gaza, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, will accept the award on their behalf. The monetary portion of the prize comes from a fundraising initiative poignantly titled “Le rondini torneranno a Gaza”—“The swallows will return to Gaza”—a phrase that evokes both nostalgia and hope for renewal.

The ceremony, to be held at the Villa Nazareth University College Theater in Rome, will gather church and civic leaders, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State. A group of Palestinian youths from Gaza, now hosted in Rome by the Community of Sant’Egidio, will also attend. The evening will close with a musical tribute by composer Nicola Piovani, who will perform a piece written in honor of the parish’s witness.

For Cardinal Edoardo Menichelli, president of the association that grants the award, this year’s recognition is not only symbolic but prophetic. It draws attention to the fact that even amid the inhumanity of prolonged conflict, there are places where compassion continues to breathe.

The Holy Family Parish—led by Father Gabriel Romanelli and his small team of priests and nuns—has for months sheltered families trapped by fighting, offering not only food and medicine but the rarest gift of all: a sense of dignity. In the darkness of war, they have kept alive a fragile light of hope.