Israeli airstrike damages Catholic church in Gaza
Strike on the Catholic church of the Holy Family in Gaza. Photo: ACN UK
On December 11, 2023, an Israeli airstrike damaged the only Catholic church in Gaza, according to the website of the papal foundation of the Roman Catholic Church. Shrapnel strikes damaged the roof, solar panels, and water tanks.
On December 12, an unexploded missile was found near the Holy Family Church. The clergy view this as a miracle, claiming that in case of detonation, there would have been a huge number of casualties. The community is left without fuel, water, and electricity.
The resource also reports that since the beginning of the war in October, 22 Christians have already died, including 17 from a strike near the Orthodox church of St. Porphyrius.
A brief ceasefire allowed Christians taking refuge in the Catholic church to come out and check the condition of their homes. Many found ruins in their place.
"I waited until the shelling subsided a bit and went to check our house, where several other Christian families lived, only to find out that the entire residential building had been completely demolished, and nothing remained of it," says one Christian. "Everything we had, including all my childhood memories, became history."
"The next day, I removed the key from the keychain because I no longer need it; I no longer have a home," she added.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Israel was bombing Gaza using the "Gospel" AI system.
Read also
The Synod of the Romanian Church accepted the resignation of Metropolitan Peter of Bessarabia
The Synod Chancellery announced preparations for the election of a new head of the metropolia and the formation of a list of candidates.
Metropolitan Onuphrius headed the final meeting of the Academic Council of KDAiS
The Primate of the UOC awarded orders to distinguished employees of the KDAiS and wished the teaching staff God's help in their continued service to the Church.
In the Piraeus Metropolitanate, a satanist convention in the USA was called a spiritual deviation
The Church of Greece criticized the popularization of Satanism in the West, characterizing such events as "deification of the human ego."
In India, life imprisonment introduced for desecration of Sikh sacred scripture
Christian communities in Punjab state have declared their inability to protect their rights in courts.
World Council of Churches calls for an end to the war in Ukraine
The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches called on all people of good will to pray and act for the establishment of lasting peace.
In Radivilov, believers of the UOC held a traditional procession for peace
A prayer procession was accompanied by icons with relics of great Orthodox saints.