Israel-Hamas war

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Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem.

Latin patriarch of Jerusalem asks for donations in face of suffering, hatred in Holy Land

Nov 7, 2023

By Andrés Henríquez

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa explained that it is “charity and prayer” that have animated the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem “in times... Read more

Pope Francis waves from a window of the Apostolic Palace during his weekly Sunday address and Angelus on Oct. 8, 2023. He spoke about the importance of having gratitude for the gifts one has received, especially the gifts of life and faith from God.

Pope Francis speaks with president of Iran about Israel-Hamas war

The Vatican has limited itself to confirming that the call took place at the request of the president of Iran,... Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, imparts the blessing in front of the aedicule of the Holy Sepulcher on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, where Jesus’ tomb is venerated. Here ends the Way of the Cross that the Franciscan friars celebrate every Friday.

Jerusalem patriarch Cardinal Pizzaballa: The Lord ‘wants me to bring his grace to this place’

Nov 3, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

“We do not pray for those who are right or wrong. We pray for those who are at war,” Jerusalem... Read more

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chair of the USCCB religious liberty committee.

Cardinal Dolan condemns religious hatred, urges people to ‘stand courageously for peace’

Nov 2, 2023

By Daniel Payne

New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan this week condemned what he said were “outbreaks of religious hatred” in the United... Read more

Children sit together around a boy cooking instant noodles on a fire in a makeshift oven from a recycled barrel in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 31, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas.

UNICEF director warns of looming ‘catastrophe’ in Gaza as water supplies dwindle

Oct 31, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The director warned this week of a looming humanitarian disaster in Gaza as clean drinking water supplies reportedly dwindle to... Read more

Workers distribute medical aid and medicines to Nasser Medical Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, which recently arrived through the Rafah crossing on Oct. 29, 2023, in Khan Yunis, Gaza.

U.S. bishops renew call for peace in the Holy Land

Oct 31, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

The U.S. bishops are renewing their call for peace in the Holy Land as the Israel-Hamas war moves towards it... Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, delivers his homily at a Mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady, Queen of Palestine and the Holy Land at the shrine dedicated to her at Deir Rafat on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.

Latin patriarch of Jerusalem reconsecrates Holy Land to Our Lady, Queen of Palestine

Oct 30, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

“Today, we consecrate once again our Church, our diocese, our land to Our Lady, Queen of Palestine,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa... Read more

Friars walking along the Via Dolorosa on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. After two weeks, the Franciscan friars of the Custody of the Holy Land returned to pray the Way of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem.

Franciscan friar’s ‘Way of the Cross’ resumes on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem

Oct 30, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

The Franciscans returned to pray along on the Via Dolorosa after holding the Way of the Cross in the church... Read more

Iran’s minister of foreign affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

Vatican, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Israel-Hamas war amid risk of wider conflict

Oct 30, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher spoke by phone with his counterpart in Iran on Monday morning regarding the Israel-Hamas... Read more

Workers prepare to distribute medical aid and medicines to Nasser Medical Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, which recently arrived through the Rafah crossing on Oct. 29, 2023, in Khan Yunis, Gaza.

UN refugee director: Needs in Gaza ‘immense,’ aid ‘meager and inconsistent’

Oct 30, 2023

By Daniel Payne

The U.N. said Sunday that “thousands of desperate people” had “stormed U.N.-operated warehouses” and other aid distribution centers in the... Read more

CNA

Analysis: South Lebanon is a ‘volcano in motion,’ and Christian villages do not sleep

Oct 26, 2023

By Elias Kattar

For more than two weeks, the Lebanese Christian villages along the border with the Holy Land have experienced a state... Read more

Displaced Palestinians who fled their houses amid Israeli strikes wait at a food distribution point as they shelter in tents set up in a United Nations-run center following Israel's call for more than 1 million civilians in northern Gaza to move south, in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 26, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

EU leaders to call for humanitarian corridors in Gaza as war rages

Oct 26, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

Leaders will call for the establishment of “humanitarian corridors and pauses” to transport aid to civilians into the Gaza Strip. Read more

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi talks with other Synod on Synodality delegates at the general congregation assembly Oct. 9, 2023.

Cardinal Zuppi calls Hamas ‘the worst enemy of the Palestinian people’

Oct 26, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

“We need a solution that guarantees the rights of the two sides; we really need an authoritative Palestinian leadership,” the... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Oct. 18, 2023.

7 ways to participate in day of prayer and fasting called for by Pope Francis

Oct 26, 2023

By Francesca Pollio Fenton

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Holy Land, Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer and fasting... Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Oct. 20, 2023.

Cardinal Pizzaballa: For Christians in Gaza Strip, temptation is to look for future elsewhere

Oct 25, 2023

By CNA Staff

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, speaks about the situation in the Holy Land in a recent interview... Read more

Hussam Abu Sini and Chiara Pezzulich bring their daughter, Marta, to be baptized on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Haifa, Israel.

Catholic couple in Israel baptizes baby in haste: ‘The only hope is in the Church’

Oct 25, 2023

By Marinella Bandini

An Arab-Israeli doctor and his Italian wife chose to baptize their baby sooner than planned and are leaning on their... Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, patriarch of Jerusalem.

In letter to diocese, Patriarch Pizzaballa urges: ‘It is time to stop this war’

Oct 24, 2023

By CNA Staff

“It will not solve any problem, but rather create new ones,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said of the deadly conflict. Read more

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, on Oct. 20, 2023.

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem mourns 18 dead in Gaza Christian Church bombing

Oct 23, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

“War and bombs have never solved problems; on the contrary, they always create new ones,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said. Read more

Pope Francis meets President Joe Biden on Oct. 29, 2021.

UPDATE: Pope Francis and U.S. President Biden speak by phone, discuss Israel and Gaza

Oct 22, 2023

By Tina Dennelly

Pope Francis and U.S. President Joe Biden spoke by phone on Sunday afternoon, according to the Holy See Press Office. Read more

Pope Francis delivers his Sunday Angelus message to about 20,000 faithful in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Oct. 22, 2023.

Pope Francis at Sunday Angelus: ‘We must not be slaves to any earthly power’

Oct 22, 2023

By Matthew Santucci

During Sunday’s Angelus, Pope Francis spoke to the faithful on the importance of the correct relationship between the Church and... Read more