Sounds of bombs overwhelm church hymns during the Easter in Gaza

OCCUPIED AL-QUDS, Apr.5, (ST)-The Palestinian Orthodox Christians in Gaza City celebrate Easter amidst a subdued atmosphere devoid of any festive spirit, according to WAFA News Agency.

The agency reported that the celebrations were limited to around 100 Christian families at the Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City and confined to prayers and religious rituals without any festivities.

Imad al-Sayegh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gaza Churches Union, who sought refuge at the Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City’s eastern district, like other Christian families in the city, declared that the genocidal war has made this year’s Easter ceremonies different from previous years, with no signs of joy or celebration in the church.

“The sadness pervades the atmosphere inside the church, as it does outside, leaving no room for joy and celebration amidst the immense destruction, continuous shelling, and casualties,” he said.

The sacred Holy Fire is traditionally transported from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem to churches in the region and around the world amid festive celebrations. However, al-Sayegh emphasized that Israel did not permit the entry of the Holy Fire into Gaza’s churches amid its ongoing war since October 7th last year.

Churches that follow the Eastern Orthodox calendar conducted religious rites and observed Holy Thursday last week, Good Friday the day before yesterday, and celebrated Holy Saturday yesterday.

Thousands of Christians headed towards Jerusalem’s Old City since the early hours of Holy Saturday, hoping to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate the emergence of the Holy Fire.

Following Holy Saturday, Christians in Palestine celebrate Easter Sunday today, singing hymns and prayers from within the Church of St. Porphyria’s, praying for peace and an end to the aggression on Gaza.

Gaza is home to around 1,200 Christians out of a total population of approximately 2.3 million people, living in challenging and complex conditions.

Al-Sayegh hopes for an end to the destructive aggression and the establishment of peace in the Gaza Strip.

Citizen Jameel Tarzi agrees with al-Sayegh, stating that the Israeli aggression deprived Christians from celebrating Easter this year, much like it deprived Muslims of celebrating Eid al-Fitr.

Tarzi, who lost his son in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City’s Old Town last October, said, “Israel did not discriminate in its fierce war between young and old, Muslim and Christian; the aggression targeted Palestinian existence.”

Christians in Gaza were not spared from the destructive Israeli onslaught, intense and relentless airstrikes, as the Church of St. Porphyrius suffered Israeli bombardment on October 19th, resulting in the martyrdom of 18 citizens, mostly children and women, who sought refuge inside, during the Israeli aggression.

During the aggression, three Christian churches were significantly damaged, and Israeli forces targeted the Orthodox Cultural Center in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, which houses several facilities and halls, as well as a sports club, leading to extensive destruction.

Source: WAFA

Edited by: Basma Qaddour