For the few hundred Christians left in Gaza sheltering in churches, the news of Pope Francis’ passing on April 21 has been a hard blow. Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, had consistently stayed in touch with the Holy Family Church in Gaza’s Old City, the only Roman Catholic parish in the besieged Strip, calling them nightly during Israel’s genocidal bombardment of Palestinians.

“He was in touch with us when communications were difficult or even cut off,” said Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest at Holy Family. “Sometimes, the Pope talked with us daily for three or four hours despite all his responsibilities.”

Speaking to Unicorn Riot on the day of the Pope’s death, Father Romanelli remembered Pope Francis as “deeply loved and very close to the Christian community in Gaza and not just the Christians, but to all the people of Gaza and the entire Holy Land.”

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