Palestinian Christians mourn Pope Francis, who called them daily since Gaza war

Palestinian Christians in Gaza said they were "heartbroken" on Monday as they mourned the death of Pope Francis, recalling his nightly phone calls to their besieged community during Israel's brutal ongoing war, and describing him as a "saint" whose prayers offered hope and comfort amid suffering.

Since Israel launched its military campaign on Gaza in October 2023, Pope Francis kept close contact with the enclave’s small Christian population, calling every night and speaking to priests and parishioners alike.

"We lost a saint who taught us every day how to be brave, how to keep patient and stay strong," George Antone, 44, told Reuters. Antone leads the emergency committee at Holy Family Church in Gaza City. "He used to tell each one: I am with you, don’t be afraid."

Antone said Francis first called the church just hours after the war began and made it a routine to reach out every evening.

"We are heartbroken because of the death of Pope Francis," he said, "but we know he is leaving behind a Church that cares for us and knows us by name - every single one of us."

The pastor of the parish, Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, confirmed that Francis phoned for the final time on Saturday night. "He said he was praying for us, he blessed us, and he thanked us for our prayers," Romanelli told Vatican News.

The next day, in his final public Easter message, Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of captives, and urgent aid for the "starving people who aspire to a future of peace".

War reducing Gaza's Christian population 

Israel's ongoing onslaught on Gaza has devastated the enclave's small Christian community, reducing its population to around 700 and destroying several churches, including the historic Saint Porphyrius Church, which was sheltering civilians at the time of an Israeli airstrike.

From across Gaza, members of the Christian community shared their grief. Elias al-Sayegh, 49, from Zeitun, told AFP: "I always waited to hear the words of the Holy Father… We felt we were alive because of his prayers and blessings. His prayers will remain with us - for peace in the land of peace, Palestine."

George Ayad, 67, from Al-Sahaba, said: "With the pope's passing, we in Gaza feel as though a light of love and peace has been extinguished." He told AFP: "Though the Vatican is far away, his voice always reached our hearts… Amid the pain and suffocating blockade we endure, we clung to his words as a beacon of hope."

Others described his death as a personal and communal loss. "A heartbreaking and shocking piece of news for all Christians in Gaza and Palestine, and for peace lovers around the world," said Ibrahim al-Tarazi, 37, from Al-Rimal, speaking to AFP. "We pray for him. His prayers and blessings will remain within us, that peace may prevail in Gaza and throughout the world."

"From Gaza, from the heart of pain, siege, and war, we bid farewell today to our spiritual father, the pope of the Vatican," added Ramez al-Souri, 42, in comments to AFP. "His prayers and blessings reached us, and his voice echoed to the world, saying: 'Do not forget Gaza, do not forget the oppressed'."

The tributes extended beyond Gaza to Christian communities across the Middle East.

In Jerusalem, Father Stephane Milovitch, head of the Latin community at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, said: "We wish that peace will finally come very soon in this land and we wish the next pope will be able to help to have peace in Jerusalem and in all the world," according to Reuters.

In Lebanon, where border clashes with Israel displaced thousands and left towns devastated last year, Francis was remembered as a source of enduring solidarity.

"He's a saint for us because he carried Lebanon and the Middle East in his heart, especially in the last period of war," a Maronite priest in the town of Rmeish told Reuters.

Marie-Jo Dib, who works at a local social foundation, added: "He was a rebel and I really pray that the next pope will be like him."

In Syria, Archbishop Antiba Nicolas learned of the Pope’s death while holding mass in Damascus. "He used to say ‘dearest Syria’ every time he spoke of Syria," Nicolas told Reuters. "He called on all international organisations to support Syria, the Christian presence, and the church in Syria during the crisis."

Pope Francis had visited Iraq in 2021, where he survived an attempted assassination plot and walked among the ruins of churches destroyed by the Islamic State.

His words from that trip - calling for unity "not as winners or losers, but as brothers and sisters" - now echo again across the region in mourning.

Though his voice has been silenced, Gaza’s Christians say his legacy remains etched in their hearts. As George Antone put it to Reuters: "He never stopped being with us."