• Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, greets children during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city on Friday. AFP
    Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, greets children during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city on Friday. AFP
  • Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. He is in Gaza for Christmas Mass with the faithful of the Palestinian territory's only Roman Catholic church. AFP
    Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. He is in Gaza for Christmas Mass with the faithful of the Palestinian territory's only Roman Catholic church. AFP
  • Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in the red cap, prays with Auxilliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem William Shomali during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
    Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in the red cap, prays with Auxilliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem William Shomali during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
  • Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa , Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, greets people during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
    Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa , Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, greets people during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
  • A man performs 'baciamano', kissing the Episcopal ring of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
    A man performs 'baciamano', kissing the Episcopal ring of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, during a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
  • Auxilliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, William Shomali, centre, is greeted by a child during the pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
    Auxilliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, William Shomali, centre, is greeted by a child during the pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
  • A girl at the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP
    A girl at the Holy Family parish in Gaza city. AFP

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem visits Gaza's only Catholic church for Christmas Mass


  • English
  • Arabic

Roman Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch, arrived in Gaza on Friday for Christmas Mass at the Holy Family parish in Gaza city, which hosts the Palestinian territory's only Roman Catholic church.

The senior churchman "arrived in Gaza today for a pastoral visit to the Holy Family parish, on the eve of the Christmas celebrations”, his office said.

The visit, it said, "reaffirms the enduring bond of the Holy Family parish in Gaza with the wider Diocese of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem”.

During his visit, Cardinal Pizzaballa will review developments in humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip as well as rehabilitation efforts.

He will also lead a Christmas Mass at the Holy Family parish on Sunday, the statement said.

During his last visit to Gaza in July, Cardinal Pizzaballa brought in 500 tonnes of food for residents suffering from shortages caused by Israeli restrictions on goods entering the territory.

Cardinal Pizzaballa and his Greek Orthodox counterpart, Theophilus III, were visiting after Israeli fire hit the Holy Family Church, killing three people.

A famine declared in Gaza in August is now over thanks to improved access for humanitarian aid, the United Nations said on Friday, also warning that the food situation there remained "critical”.

About 1,000 of 2.2 million Gaza inhabitants are Christians, most of them Orthodox.

The Latin Patriarchate said 135 Catholics live in Gaza. They sought shelter inside the compound of the Holy Family Church in the first days of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Some members of the Greek Orthodox church joined them in the compound owned by the Roman Catholic church.

the pledge

I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance

I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice

I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own

I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself

I pledge to live in harmony with my community

I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness

I pledge to do my part to create peace for all

I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community

I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity

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AS IT STANDS IN POOL A

1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14

2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11

3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5

Remaining fixtures

Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am

Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm

Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

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Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 400hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000

On sale: now

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Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
Updated: December 20, 2025, 7:41 AM