Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa celebrated Christmas Mass at Gaza City’s Holy Family Church, returning for the first time since a July strike damaged the parish and urging residents to move from survival to rebuilding. The visit — Pizzaballa’s fourth to Gaza since the campaign began — came amid continuing humanitarian strain despite a US-mediated ceasefire. Church bells rang and a baby, Mario, was baptized as a symbol of hope, while survivors described ongoing trauma and losses.
“We Are Still Here”: Catholic Patriarch Leads Christmas Mass At Gaza Church Damaged In July Strike
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (center), the most senior Catholic figure in the Holy Land, urged Palestinians to "rebuild everything" as he visited people at a church in northern Gaza on Sunday. - Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the highest-ranking Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, celebrated Christmas Mass on Sunday at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, calling on residents not merely to survive but to rebuild life amid widespread destruction and displacement.
This was Pizzaballa’s fourth visit to Gaza since Israel’s military campaign began and his first return to the parish since a deadly strike struck the church in July.
A Message of Hope and Rebuilding
Addressing worshippers at the parish, Pizzaballa acknowledged the fragile conditions across the enclave and urged Gazans to hold on to hope while preparing to reconstruct their lives.
“We are in a very precarious situation like many others in practically all of Gaza,”
he said. He rejected the notion that outside powers alone will decide Gaza’s fate, insisting instead that local people will play the central role in recovery.
“We think that the powers of the world will decide our future. But then in reality, it is we the people here who will decide how to rebuild everything. I encourage you, don’t lose your hope. Now, we are in a new phase of this situation; we have not just to survive, but also to rebuild life,”
Pizzaballa added: “In this new phase we have to bring the spirit of Christmas — the spirit of light, tenderness and growth. Now it seems impossible, but after two years of terrible war, we are still here.”
George Bisan, an 11-year-old boy at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, told CNN he and other Palestinians "want to live" after two years of Israeli bombing and siege. - CNN
Symbolic Moments Amid Devastation
CNN footage showed church bells ringing during the service. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said a baby named Mario was baptized at the Mass as a symbol of “new life” and “new hope.” Inside the Holy Family Church, red and gold baubles, green wreaths and a tall Christmas tree draped in tinsel contrasted sharply with the wider scene of damage and displacement.
Humanitarian Context
Pizzaballa’s visit comes more than two months after Israel and Hamas agreed to a U.S.-mediated ceasefire. Despite the truce, Gazans continue to face deadly incidents, restricted aid flows, food insecurity and the consequences of seasonal flash floods.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported at least 401 deaths since the ceasefire took effect on October 11. Since the October 7, 2023 attacks, the ministry reports a total of 70,925 Palestinians killed and 171,185 injured.
Voices From Gaza
Eleven-year-old George Bisan, who survived the July strike on the church, told CNN he remains shellshocked by the attack.
“When they shelled the church from above, many people were injured and died,”
George said. “My wish for the new year is to get out of here and meet my family abroad and for us to be at peace. … We want to live.”
Ramez Al-Souri (right) and his wife, Helen (left) and their three children, Julie (center right), Majd (center) and Suhail (center left) in Bethlehem, in 2022. An Israeli attack later killed the siblings. - Ramez Souri
For many Christians and other residents, visits by faith leaders provide consolation and a visible sign of solidarity.
“The visits are considered a form of support and steadfastness for members of the community,” said Ramez Al-Souri, who was displaced within Gaza City. “The people of Gaza love life and aspire to live in peace.”
Personal Losses and Wider Impact
Al-Souri lost three children — Suhail, 14; Julie, 12; and Majd, 11 — during the early weeks of the conflict, when an October strike hit the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in northern Gaza. Palestinian health officials reported at least 17 people were killed in that attack; the Israeli military said it had targeted Hamas operatives in the area.
“There are no children left. They have all become victims of this war,” Al-Souri said, adding that he hopes the coming year will bring peace and the chance for families to live freely and with renewed hope.
Pope Francis has also maintained contact with the parish: Father Gabriel Romanelli previously told CNN that the pope called the Holy Family Church regularly from October 2023 to speak with church leaders and some Palestinians sheltering there.
Why this matters: The Mass at a damaged parish is both an act of pastoral care and a public demonstration of solidarity with civilians enduring the long-term humanitarian consequences of the conflict. The ceremony’s symbols — the baptism, the decorations, the ringing bells — underscored a message of resilience amid devastation.
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