Holy Week in Gaza has begun at the Holy Family Catholic compound against a backdrop of persistent war and severe shortages. Despite the adversity, the community intends to celebrate Easter to the full, sustained by prayers for peace throughout the Middle East, as Father Gabriel Romanelli explained to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The parish has worked with altar servers to prepare the full liturgy, even as daily life remains dictated by the pace of war.
A living liturgy in the heart of adversity
The schedule of celebrations remains dependent on the daily security situation. On Palm Sunday, the procession was able to take place in the parish courtyard despite a tense atmosphere, rain, and fragments of shrapnel landing on the church roof.
For Father Gabriel, the essence of this Holy Week in Gaza is deeply spiritual:
«It is first and foremost about remembering Jesus, His pain, and His redeeming love, so that we too may offer our suffering for the redemption of all and for peace in Gaza, Jerusalem, throughout Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, the Gulf countries, and the entire Middle East».
The human cost and the Holy Week in Gaza
The Christian community in Gaza has paid a heavy price, losing nearly 6% of its members, totalling 60 souls. Of these, 23 died due to shelling or snipers, 23 from a lack of medical care, and 14 from war-aggravated conditions. To honor them, the parish plans a funeral procession with the «Burial of Christ» on Good Friday, processing to the small cemetery next to the church.
Signs of resurrection and rebuilding
Material signs of the feast reflect the ongoing shortages; holy water and a few hard-to-obtain chocolates will replace traditional incense. Interestingly, most Christian refugees have recently left the parish grounds to attempt to rebuild their lives in what remains of their homes.
This shift has freed up space in the parish school, allowing it to welcome Muslim pupils again, just as the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem schools did before the war. Father Gabriel continues to pray for the end of the war and the opening of borders for essential medical supplies.
