Parish priest reveals Pope Francis' last phone call to Gaza: He knew all the children's names

"Pope Francis never failed to be present, to give his support, to speak his mind. He always called us, it was a regular meeting." This is what Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family, the only Catholic parish in Gaza, said as he spoke about the death of Pope Francis. 

"We have lost a father, a member of our family," he said in an interview with La Stampa.

According to him, Pope Francis was a constant presence. He never failed to provide his presence, support, and words.

"He always called us, it was a regular meeting. The last time we spoke to him on the phone was on Saturday evening, before the Easter Vigil. I was in church praying the Rosary and he spoke on my parish priest Father Yusef's cell phone. He spoke to him, then to Sister Maria. He asked about the children and how we were preparing for Easter," he continued.

"I thanked him, I could tell he was tired and I didn't want to keep him on the phone. He seemed particularly tired and exhausted, out of breath. I thought he had weakened after talking to my parish priest and the nun. But his spirit was always the same, he encouraged us a lot. For me it was a great sign of hope, but also of support and closeness."

Since October 7, when the war began, he says, the Pope has been a constant support for them.

"I have known the Pope for years and always, whenever we met, he would ask me about our small parish community. He always encouraged me and my brothers before me, to continue this work." "When the war broke out after October 7, the Pope decided to make us feel his presence."

"He had become so close to our community that he recognized the voices and knew the names of the children. We would put him on speakerphone when he called and spoke to the children, they would call each other by name, ask him for advice, help, and he never held back. He made us feel special."

"With his death - concludes Father Gabriel Romanelli - we lose a great support. Now we are sad, but we have gained a great intercessor in heaven." (A2 Televizion)