The "Priests Against Genocide" march passes through Rome wearing keffiyehs. The final stop is Leonardo’s headquarters.

Chanting the invocation “Grant us peace, O Lord” and displaying a shroud bearing the names of 330 children who died in Gaza and Lebanon, a march by around a hundred members of the “Priests Against Genocide” network set off yesterday from Borgo Santo Spirito in Rome. The procession, comprising priests from South Africa, Denmark, Spain, Italy and other countries around the world, featured participants holding olive branches and some wearing black-and-white chequered keffiyehs around their necks. All participants wore badges in the colours of the Palestinian flag, while some held placards bearing the words ‘Christ died in Gaza’. Leading the ‘procession’ were two bishops, Monsignor Giovanni Ricchiuti and Monsignor Christian Carlassare. “We offer this prayer,” could be heard over the loudspeaker accompanying the march, “for all the children who have died since the ceasefire; no to fear; may justice enlighten the leaders of nations so that they may have the courage to abandon their plans for death.” After stopping in front of the embassies of Lebanon and Palestine, the procession ended in front of the Leonardo headquarters in Piazza Monte Grappa.

As we recall here, this initiative follows on from one a year ago, when two hundred priests gathered at the Church of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale to voice their protest against ‘the genocide of the Palestinian people’. This was not a prayer vigil, but a call on politicians to end their inaction and silence and to make their voices heard – naturally against Israel. Yesterday, in addition to “denouncing the genocide taking place in Gaza, the unjustified violence against the Palestinian civilian population and the state of apartheid in force for over 70 years throughout the occupied Palestinian territories”, calls were also made for “the suspension of arms sales to those committing crimes against civilians”, ‘the disarmament of the State of Israel to prevent further deaths of innocent people’, as well as ‘the prosecution for war crimes of all those responsible for the mass extermination currently taking place in Gaza’. As for the Hamas pogrom, there was nothing: not even a footnote or a side note. On the contrary, among the network’s objectives is the need for “the recognition of personal, political and military responsibilities, through independent and fair investigations into 7 October 2023, and into what happened before and after that date”.

The procession made its way through the streets amidst banners, singing, guitar music and Gospel readings. Tourists were particularly curious and approached the priests to gain a better understanding of what the event was all about. “You don’t often see priests demonstrating, but in reality we prayed and then walked through the city in the blood of the martyrs,” said Father Rito Maresca, who organised the campaign. “I’m happy; we prayed that there would be no more indifference,” said another priest, Father Pietro. “Everyone can contribute to change; we are priests and we pray, whilst others can choose what to do to stop the genocide in Gaza.”