Israeli missile destroys Catholic church in Lebanon; at least 8 dead

Eight people in this church and adjoining buildings in Derdghaya, Lebanon, were killed. / Credit: Aid to the Church in Need

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 11, 2024 / 19:05 pm (CNA).

A church of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre, Lebanon, was hit by a missile from Israeli airstrikes in the country’s south Oct. 9, killing at least eight people, the British branch of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has reported.

Local sources told ACN that the church, located in the town of Derdghaya, was sheltering people displaced by the conflict. A priest’s house and a three-story building housing parish offices were also completely destroyed by another missile.

Pope Francis called for peace in the Middle East on X, stating that “all nations have the right to exist in peace and security: Their territories must not be attacked, their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through dialogue and peace.”

In an additional post on Oct. 11, the pontiff said: “I call for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts of the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon. Let us #PrayTogether for the Lebanese, especially for the inhabitants of the south forced to leave their villages, so that they can return as soon as possible and live in #peace.”

‘We will not give in to hate’

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, sent a letter to Pope Francis in which he conveyed the “most sincere gratitude” of Catholic leaders and all the faithful of the Holy Land for his closeness and compassion.

Published in the Oct. 11 edition of L’Osservatore Romano, the patriarch also noted that the Holy Father has been “the only world leader” to recognize “the human suffering of all” in the region.

Pizzaballa said the Church is responding with “weapons of love” to the mistrust that seems to be spreading more and more among all those involved in the conflict. 

“In this context of deep-rooted hatred, there is a need for empathy, for gestures and words of love that, even if they do not change the course of events, bring comfort and consolation,” the patriarch said, as reported by Vatican News.

The cardinal was also emphatic in stating that we must not give in to the logic of evil and hatred. “We will not give in to the events that seem to drive us apart; rather we will always try to be builders thirsty for peace and justice,” he stressed.

For the patriarch, the testimony of many men and women in the Holy Land who, despite being affected even on a personal level by violence, have had the courage to forgive is of great relevance. This “small remnant,” he continued, might be a starting point for rebuilding relationships and trust that have been broken.

“From this difficult moment, we must learn to make our relationships even stronger and more sincere in the future, to build authentic and serious contexts of peace and respect,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.