WCC news: Patriarch Theophilos III and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa visit Gaza
His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem, made a pastoral and humanitarian visit to the Gaza Strip.
The visit closely followed the condition of their faithful, who have been enduring a relentless humanitarian catastrophe for over 21 months. The visitors directly oversaw the relief efforts provided by the churches to support the steadfastness of those in Gaza who have lost their homes, safety, and access to medicine.
This visit comes in the wake of repeated assaults on Christian holy sites in Gaza.
In light of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III called for an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire. He urged the international community to assume its ethical and humanitarian responsibilities toward innocent civilians who continue to pay an unbearable price in a merciless war.
His Beatitude Theophilos III reaffirmed that the Orthodox Church, compelled by its unshakable faith, remains steadfast in its sacred mission to be present, spiritually and humanely, in times of war. Such presence, he said, is a religious and moral obligation that will not be abandoned.
He declared: “Where suffering abounds, so too must our responsibility. We do not come from afar; we are of this land, of its sorrows, of its people, and of its perseverance.”
Related: The Church’s Humanitarian Presence Amid Catastrophe Is a Sacred Duty (Jerusalem Patriarchate news release, 18 July 2025)
