A very fast conclave, which gave the Church a new pope, to Christians a father, to those who suffer hope. And the Christians of the Holy Land suffer, exhausted for 19 months of war. Father Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Holy Land Custody recalls how close to the population and expectations compared to Leo XIV.
What do you expect the Holy Terra Church from the new Pope?
“Eone XIV was already in the mind of God who gave his people a good shepherd. He is a son of Sant ‘Agostino and is a man of peace, wise and cultured. The first words of his ministry presented us with a Pope with a simple and attentive style, helpful and generous. During his first Queen Coeli he turned to the powerful of the earth and several times he said: “Never again the war!”, He asked for all the wars, in Ukraine and Gaza. He strongly asked to let humanitarian aid enter and free the hostages. It was a strong appeal to peace, in the name of truth and justice. Leo XIV rejoiced for peace between Pakistan and India and prays because peace takes over the whole world. Pope Francis has traced a road that Leone XIV will certainly continue to travel with a personal and different style but with the same values. This is what the whole world expects from the Holy Father. In the Holy Land the war brought death and destruction, the war continues on its inhuman path of violence. Those who survived more than nineteen months of war are starving. I am sure that Leo XIV will still make his voice heard and act with his father’s heart to defend the humanity wounded, battered and humiliated. All the faithful Christians and the faithful of the other religions who have appreciated and esteemed Pope Francis awaits him. Leo XIV will not disappoint them, already in the first days we appreciated his availability and his sensitivity! ».
What was Francesco’s presence for the Holy Land in these 12 years?
The spiritual presence of Pope Francis was strong and important for the entire universal Church. His presence and his proximity to the Holy Land have been concrete and attentive since the beginning of his pontificate. He has always worked and prayed for peace in the world, particularly for peace in the Holy Land. In May 2014, during his apostolic journey, he tried to bring together the presidents of Israel and Palestine, he did not succeed in his intent and invited them a month later to the Vatican for a peace meeting and to plant an olive tree together. During the same journey, upsetting the program and protocol, he stopped to pray to the separation wall and that hand resting on the concrete, which he divided and did not build, was the caress to people’s suffering. With daily frequency, the parish of Gaza as a worried father for his children in difficulty. The Holy Father offered his suffering for peace, has given the world of love, care, attention to the Holy Land and the whole world ».
Pope Francis called every day or almost the parish of Gaza to give support. In what form do Christians hope for a proximity of the new Pope?
«The almost daily phone call of the Holy Father was strong support for the community of the parish of Gaza for eighteen months. Pope Francis has always been a strong defender of the weak, the defenseless, of the innocent, of the last. The concreteness of a common and continuous gesture has given strength to the Christian community of Gaza and not only to them. The people of Gaza felt they have an important and decisive reference in the Pope. None of the powerful in the world did this for them. The new Pope will have Pope Francis as an example and model and will go on on the path of peace which is possible in the Holy Land and all over the world. Pope Francis will help him from paradise! ».
What message does it come from the church of Jerusalem to that of Rome?
“The church of Jerusalem represents the universal Church, not only the Holy Land because” we all born here “. Reding the encyclical brothers Tutti and listening to his cry: “Todos, Todos, Todos!” Loneliness and sadness disappear. We are not alone, we have Pope Francis to protect us with more strength and with more love than ever. We can and have to thank God for giving us a Holy Father! And we must also thank him for the new Pope who will not abandon us ».
