Pope Francis' nightly calls to Gaza's Christian community during the ongoing war offered them comfort and connection amidst despair. Congregants, such as George Antone, expressed feeling deeply cared for by the pope through their conversations, even as the violence escalated. Francis, who advocated for peace, condemned the humanitarian situation in Gaza until his hospitalization. His passing has left the small Christian community feeling abandoned, as they had come to regard him as a father figure during their times of suffering.
I was so shy when Father Yousef handed me the phone, and there was his holiness on the screen looking at me. I thought, Am I dreaming, what do I talk to him about?
Even after he was hospitalised, he continued calling to check on us. Our grief is deep because we lost someone we felt had become a member of our church.
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