Jerusalem:

As the war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas continues to escalate, Jerusalem’s Latin patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has announced that the Holy Land would be re-consecrated to the 'Queen of Palestine', a Marian title popular among the faithful in the Holy Land.

Every year, the Sunday after October 25 is celebrated as the solemnity of the 'Queen of Palestine.' "We are approaching the solemnity of the Queen of Palestine, the patroness of our diocese... In these days we will once again reconsecrate our Church and our land to the Queen of Palestine!," the cardinal said in a statement released on Tuesday. Cardinal Pizzaballa lamented that “The whole world views this Holy Land of ours as a place that is a constant cause of wars and divisions.” He said that in this context, the recently observed day of prayer and fasting, in which the whole world participated, “was a beautiful view of the Holy Land and an important moment of unity with our Church.” 

Stating that his “conscience and moral duty” requires him “to state clearly that what happened on October 7th in southern Israel is in no way permissible and we cannot but condemn it,” the cardinal added, “The same conscience, however, with a great burden on my heart, leads me to state with equal clarity today that this new cycle of violence has brought to Gaza over five thousand deaths, including many women and children, tens of thousands of wounded, neighborhoods razed to the ground, lack of medicine, lack of water and of basic necessities for over two million people. These are tragedies that cannot be understood and which we have a duty to denounce and condemn unreservedly.”

Cardinal Pizzaballa warned that the continuing bomb attacks would “only cause more death and destruction and will only increase hatred and resentment.” The cardinal called for an end to the war calling it “senseless violence.” He remembered the 18 Christians who were killed in an airstrike in the compound of Saint Porphyrius church in Gaza last week, along with their grieving families. “The suffering of the innocent before God has a precious and redemptive value because it is united with the redemptive suffering of Christ. May their suffering bring peace ever closer!” he added.

Cardinal Pizzaballa made headlines a few days ago after he expressed his willingness to offer himself in exchange for Israeli children who had been taken hostage by Hamas and were held in Gaza, during a video conference with journalists in Italy.