Milan, Jan 22 (LaPresse) – This evening Pope Francis again telephoned via WhatsApp the parish priest of the Holy Family in Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli, and the deputy parish priest, Father Yusuf Asad. A few moments to say hello, ask ‘how are you?’ or ‘what did you eat?’, bless the children. A sign of closeness never interrupted since the outbreak of the conflict, reports Vatican News, which publishes the video of the phone call. At 7 p.m., punctually, as he has done every evening since 9 October, forty-eight hours after the bombing of the Strip began. Francis also video-chatted this evening via WhatsApp the parish of the Holy Family in Gaza, the one to which, as he himself has said so many times – the last, this morning, at the general audience – he telephones every evening to inquire about the living conditions of the more than 600 people, Christians and Muslims, refugees between the parish and the college. ‘Tonight in the whole compound, we ate chicken. Chicken wings,’ Father Yusuf explains during the call. ‘How are you?’ the Pope asks. ‘I'm fine thank God!’ ‘And tell me what did you eat today?’ ‘Chicken wings,’ replies the priest. ‘Que tal Santo Padre?’ interjects Father Gabriel, standing next door. ‘It is our beloved Pope,’ he shouts to the people. He calls them all together; children, men and women with scarves and hats, arrive in the compound's courtyard. They approach slowly. The first is a doctor: ‘Salamu ?alaykum’, the Pope tells him in Arabic. In the background is a hubbub of women and children. Francis looks on amused, waves to Karima and other children: ‘Bye Bye! Bye!’. Then he makes the sign of the cross. ‘Muchas gracias, thank you very much’.
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