Within the days after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, provided himself up as a hostage in alternate for the liberty of kidnapped Israeli youngsters.
The provide, reported by Vatican News, the Holy See’s information portal, was not taken up, nevertheless it however drew consideration to Cardinal Pizzaballa, who’s a contender to succeed Pope Francis.
As an Italian, Cardinal Pizzaballa would carry the papacy again underneath management of a rustic that dominated it for hundreds of years, after a spot of just about 50 years. His lengthy expertise in a politically fraught area that’s the cradle of three main religions — he was ordained in 1990, on the age of 25, and moved to Jerusalem that 12 months — has additionally boosted his papal capital.
However Cardinal Pizzaballa is seen as a Vatican outsider, provided that he has spent a long time within the Center East, moderately than constructing alliances nearer to residence.
Some cardinals and different members of the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy are additionally involved that Cardinal Pizzaballa, 60, could also be too younger for the job. Pope John Paul II was elected at 58 and served for 26 years. The prospect of one other papacy lasting a quarter-century or extra has given pause to a number of the cardinals who will elect the following pope.
Cardinal Pizzaballa’s reverence for conventional parts of church observe has made him palatable to some conservatives. However after spending a long time within the Center East, he’s one thing of a wild card, since his positions on many points which have induced division within the church aren’t recognized.
What he does have, Vatican consultants agree, is a private contact as a church chief that Pope Francis valued.
“He embodies a pastoral method,” mentioned Massimo Faggioli, a professor of theology at Villanova College. “In Jerusalem, you take care of different religions which have robust opinions on these points, so it’s important to not grow to be a crusader in any attainable sense of the phrase.”
Cardinal Pizzaballa “comes from a practical Catholic tradition,” Mr. Faggioli added. “He’s not going to wage a tradition battle on sex- and gender-related points.”
The cardinal declined to remark for this text.
Cardinal Pizzaballa is credited with deftly navigating the Center East’s politics and communities, talking forcefully in opposition to injustice and hatred but in addition making pals amongst Jews, Muslims, Christians and different communities. Above all, he developed a repute as somebody prepared to hear.
Individuals who have labored carefully with him in Jerusalem described him as a succesful administrator and a humble chief with little time for pomp.
“He cares for the poor,” mentioned Wadie Abunassar, the coordinator of the Discussion board of Holy Land Christians, a nongovernmental group of Christian laity in Israel. “He helps in a discreet manner. He’s an individual who likes to construct bridges with each human being.”
When Hamas attacked Israel in 2023, the cardinal had been in his new function for only some days, however he had spent 35 years within the area. A Franciscan ordained in northern Italy, he turned a pupil of biblical theology in Jerusalem and ended up educating biblical Hebrew. Alongside his native Italian and Hebrew, he speaks English however solely restricted Arabic.
His skill with languages and deft diplomacy got here into use as he cared for Israel’s Hebrew-speaking Catholics, paying nearly month-to-month visits to parishes. He has additionally visited the tiny Christian group in Gaza throughout the battle there and has an open dialogue with Jewish Israelis.
Hana Bendcowsky, undertaking director of the Jewish-Christian program on the Rossing Heart for Schooling and Dialogue, an interreligious group primarily based in Jerusalem, praised his work and mentioned she hoped he turns into pope — however not for an additional decade. “We nonetheless want him right here,” she mentioned.
Xavier Abu Eid, a Palestinian political scientist and writer primarily based in Ramallah within the occupied West Financial institution, mentioned that many Palestinians imagine that the cardinal ought to have spoken out extra forcefully in opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza, however added that there have been limits to how a lot might be anticipated of a church chief.
Francis did communicate out as Palestinian casualties rose in Gaza, writing in a ebook launched in November that the battle should be investigated to find out whether or not it constituted a genocide. This drew a harsh rebuke from a member of the Israeli authorities.
In April, the cardinal traveled to Rome to speak to Francis to prepare a gathering between him and rabbis involved concerning the language he had used, in accordance with Oded Wiener, a former director-general of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel who was answerable for interfaith relations and the rabbinate’s relations with the Vatican.
A date was set for the assembly, nevertheless it didn’t occur, first for technical causes after which due to the decline in Francis’ well being, Mr. Wiener mentioned. It was not clear to what extent the cardinal personally sympathized with the considerations of the rabbis.
In Francis’ final address, delivered the day earlier than he died, the pope mentioned that the rising local weather of antisemitism around the globe was “worrying,” and he additionally denounced Gaza’s “deplorable humanitarian scenario.”
Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting from Jerusalem, and Emma Bubola from Rome.
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