Members of the clergy celebrate Mass for the late Pope Francis at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City on Monday.
OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images
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OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images
GAZA CITY — Most people across the globe knew Pope Francis as a religious figure they saw on screens or read about in the news. However, for the congregation of a small Roman Catholic church in Gaza, he was the comforting voice on the other end of the phone every evening, checking in on them during times of conflict.
“He would call us every night at 7 p.m. It didn’t matter how busy or where he was, he always made that call,” shared George Anton, spokesperson for the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, with NPR on the day of the pope’s passing at the age of 88.
“He would inquire about our well-being, what we had for dinner, if we had access to clean water, and if anyone was injured,” Anton continued. “It was not just a formality; it was the caring questions of a father.”
