Happy Orthodox Easter from Gaza, from one of the world’s oldest active yet ignored Church of Saint Porphyries.
Despite all the odds the Church and the very few remaining Greek Orthodox Christians celebrated Orthodox Easter holding all the masses and rituals.
Easter Orthodox held at St.Church of Saint Porphyries in Gaza on Sunday by Hamza Qraiqea for Anadolu/AFP |
The Palestinian Orthodox Christians held all the masses and rituals in a sombre mood after all that they had been facing since October.
People ignore the fact that this is the third oldest active church in the world named after Saint Porphyries of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Originally born in Thessaloniki, Bishop Porphyries was sent to Gaza in the 5th century by the Patriarch of Jerusalem when it was a city of Pagans. Historically Gaza was a pagan city and was not even a part of the short-lived-Jewish Kingdoms in what was known then Jerusalem and Judea.
Bishop Porphyries helped in the conversion of many Palestinians to Christianity. Porphyries’ tomb is in the North Eastern corner of the Church.
Now I do not understand why a Church like the Church of Saint Porphyries is not on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Unfortunately, the world seemed to discover it only when it was bombed by Israeli Air Forces on 25 October causing the collapse of one of the two halls it targeted.