{"product_id":"the-priest-who-stayed-in-gaza-19799","title":"The Priest Who Stayed in Gaza","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThe Priest Who Stayed in Gaza\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e  A Witness to Hope in the Rubble\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e    \u003cb\u003eby Fr. Gabriel Romanelli\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIn the heart of Gaza City - amid broken buildings, relentless bombardment, and the anguished cries of the displaced - a single cross still hovers in the sky.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBeneath it stands the intrepid Church of the Holy Family. And inside is a priest who refuses to depart.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWhen war erupted after October 7, 2023, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli could have remained safely in Jerusalem. Instead, he returned immediately to Gaza, to his parish, to his people, to the frightened families who had nowhere else to go.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eToday, hundreds crowd into the small church seeking shelter from missiles, hunger, and despair. Water is scarce. Food is rationed. The future is uncertain. And yet, each and every day, Fr. Gabriel greets them with a smile, a blessing, and a word of hope.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe people call him \u003cem\u003eAbouna\u003c\/em\u003e - \"our father.\"\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIn these pages, Fr. Gabriel opens his heart and reveals what it means to shepherd souls at the convergence point of modern conflict. He shares the hidden strength of the \"little-great\" light that emanates through the ruins, that secret source of joy that no bomb can destroy: union with the suffering Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis is not a political account of a conflict. It is something far rarer. It is the testimony of a modern-day priest who chooses service over safety, presence over self-preservation.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eFor eighteen months - up until Holy Saturday 2025 - Pope Francis called Fr. Gabriel daily to thank him and encourage him in his mission. Pope Leo XIV continues that contact today. Even after being injured when an explosion struck his church, Fr. Gabriel remains in place with his people.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAt a moment when the Middle East stands at a historic tipping point, this memoir offers something the headlines cannot give you - the human face of faith under fire. In a world overwhelmed by noise, anger, and division, Fr. Gabriel's voice will remind you what courage looks like, what spiritual fatherhood truly means, and why hope will always be stronger than destruction.\u003c\/p\u003e  Trade Paperback\u003cbr\u003e256 pages\u003cbr\u003eSophia Institute Press\u003cbr\u003eMay 19, 2026\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 9798889117315","brand":"Sophia Institute Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49127177421108,"sku":"19799","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0757\/7845\/7908\/files\/19799_bc0975da-ca40-5955-aa99-0315f567d422.jpg?v=1778693678","url":"https:\/\/inhisname.com\/products\/the-priest-who-stayed-in-gaza-19799","provider":"In His Name Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}