Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza Decorated for Palm Sunday Amid Ongoing War
Christians in Gaza prepare for holy celebrations despite devastation from Israel’s continued assault
Watan-This comes amid the ongoing tragedy in the region, as Israel continues committing genocide against Palestinians for the past 18 months.
Palm Sunday is the seventh Sunday of Lent and the final one before Good Friday, which is followed by the commemoration of Christ’s Resurrection Sunday.
This day commemorates Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, where he was welcomed by people waving palm and olive branches, laying them on the road and greeting him as a king, according to Christian beliefs.
Gaza’s Saint Porphyrius Church Prepares for Palm Sunday
The Patriarchal Vicariate posted photos on its Facebook page showing the decoration of Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City (north), and ongoing preparations to welcome Palm Sunday.
In a brief comment, it said:”His Grace (the bishop responsible for the church) is decorating the church with palms in preparation for Palm Sunday.”
The images showed young and old shaping palm branches into crosses, hearts, and crowns to decorate the entrances and courtyards of the church or to be handed out to worshippers during the celebration.
The church also extended congratulations to Christians on the occasion, saying:
“Have a blessed and holy Palm Sunday.”
Saint Porphyrius Church is the third-oldest church in the world, with its original structure dating back to the year 425 AD.
Christian Presence in Gaza Holds On Amid War
The Patriarchal Vicariate in Gaza is a church authority representing the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem and is responsible for the Catholic community’s affairs in the Gaza Strip.
Reverend Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem and Beit Sahour in the West Bank, commented on Facebook:”The Orthodox Church in Gaza is preparing for Palm Sunday. We pray for you, for our people in Gaza, and especially for an end to the war.”
Palm Sunday is also known as “Sunday of the Palms” or “Olive Sunday,” as the people of Jerusalem welcomed Jesus with olive and palm branches, laying down their clothes and greenery in his path.
The week that begins with this day is called “Holy Week,” which commemorates Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and the events that followed.
Christians around the world—and especially those in Jerusalem—hold this day in high regard as a remembrance of the “entry of the King of Peace (Christ) into Jerusalem.”
About 1,000 Christians live in the Gaza Strip, out of a population of over two million. Around 70% belong to the Greek Orthodox denomination, which has a central church in Jerusalem, while the rest are Latin Catholics.
Since the beginning of the war, continued Israeli airstrikes have targeted many Christian and Muslim places of worship in Gaza.
In October 2023, Israel bombed the oldest Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza, located in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, in addition to the Church of Saint Porphyrius, which had been a refuge for both Christians and Muslims during repeated wars on the Strip.
Church Shelters Targeted Amid Ongoing Gaza War
At the time of the strike, the church was sheltering hundreds of people, around 18 of whom were killed due to the Israeli targeting.
In December of the same year, the media office of the Latin Patriarchate announced that an Israeli sniper assassinated a woman and her daughter and injured seven others at the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City.
The office also noted that an Israeli artillery vehicle targeted the “Sisters of Mother Teresa Convent,” which houses more than 54 people with disabilities and is located within the church compound.
With full U.S. support, Israel has continued committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in around 167,000 Palestinians martyred or injured, most of them women and children, along with over 11,000 missing persons.
