"I bless you. Do not be afraid, I am with you. Be healthy and steadfast in the faith."
Those were Pope Francis' last words to George Antony, head of the Catholic Church's emergency committee in Gaza, during their last telephone conversation about two weeks ago.
Pope Francis, who had been suffering from pneumonia and had been in the hospital for nearly a month, died on the morning of April 21 from a stroke and heart failure, the Vatican said.
The late pope's daily phone calls to the faithful at the Holy Family Church in Gaza were a source of strength, Antone tells the BBC.
"Pope Francis' words erased all fear from our hearts and instilled in us a sense of security."
"Today we are sad and feel like orphans," he says.
- How much has Pope Francis contributed to better relations between the Vatican and Serbia?
- The life of Pope Francis in pictures
- From bouncer to pontiff: Five things you might not know about Pope Francis
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, Pope Francis has called daily to inquire about the only Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip, speaking directly with Father Gabriel Romanelli of the church or with other members of the community.
Father Gabriel tells the BBC that he last spoke to Pope Francis on Holy Saturday, the eve of Easter.
"Pope Francis invited us on the eve of Easter, before the solemn mass last Saturday.
"He thanked us for our service and for our prayers for him, and gave us his blessing."
"He was sick, and the conversation didn't last more than a minute or two," he recalls.
Father Gabriel adds that the news of the Pope's death "came suddenly and saddened everyone," especially since daily conversations were a lifeline for this small Catholic community.
This, he says, is because "since the beginning of the war, we have been accustomed to Pope Francis calling us every day to inquire about the situation in Gaza and to pray for us and for peace."
“The news came as the priests and I were exchanging Easter greetings at the Greek Orthodox Church [this year Catholic and Orthodox Easter fell on the same day].
"Of course, we were very sad because we lost the Pope, but also a friend of this parish, who cared for us until the very end."
Watch video: Christians in Gaza mourn Pope Francis
The priest said that Pope Francis' latest messages to them were in line with his appeal at Easter for peace in the world, including an end to the war in Gaza.
"Even last week, from St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, Pope Francis called on the world to stop wars, especially the war in Gaza.
"He spoke about the suffering in Gaza and called for justice and peace for the entire region."
"It was his last prayer, as if he was sending a message to the world."
"I hope that world leaders will accept it for the sake of peace between Palestine and Israel, and for the sake of all the people in Gaza and the entire region."
Pope Francis' last public appearance was on Easter, when he went out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Square to greet the faithful after mass.
Despite his poor health, he again called for a ceasefire in Gaza, describing the situation as "tragic and deplorable," and appealed to Hamas to release the hostages.
Father Gabriel reflected on the symbolism of the Pope's death during Easter.
"Pope Francis passed away during the Easter holidays, when new life, the resurrection of Christ from the dead, is celebrated."
"It is a sign of hope and optimism, because he dedicated his entire life to Christ and the Church."
"On the one hand, we are deeply saddened, but on the other hand we feel comforted, because after a long service that lasted 88 years, he has gone to eternal life."
Antone describes the Pope's daily calls.
"Pope Francis would usually call Father Gabriel on his mobile phone at a time when we believers would be in church."
"There would be about 450 of us, and the Pope would address us over loudspeakers."
"He could see us via video call, and we would talk to him as a community, and he would give blessings to the whole community," he says.
Remember how personal those calls were.
"He always told us: 'Don't be afraid, I am with you.'"
"He would ask us, 'What did you eat? Do you have water? Do you have enough food? Did you eat today? How are your children? How is your health? Do you have medicine?'
"He inquired about every aspect of our lives."
Antone, like many Christians in Gaza, describes Pope Francis as an "exceptional and historic father."
The sadness and concern of Christians in Gaza
Christians of the Greek Orthodox and Catholic communities, who number no more than 1.100 in total, make up less than 0,05 percent of Gaza's total population.
The death of the Pope hit them all hard.
Moussa Ayad, a displaced Christian currently holed up in the Church of Saint Porphyry, tells BBC Arabic that the news of the pope's death "struck like thunder".
"We lost him, and it's a big loss for us."
"He supported the people of Gaza with all his heart and soul."
"Before his death, when we learned that he was ill, we prayed for his recovery, because he was a man of peace and love," he adds.
"Although he was Catholic, he was a father to all Christian communities," says Ayad.
"We cannot forget how he spoke daily with the Catholic priest in Gaza to ask how we were, nor how during his visits to each country he repeated the call for a ceasefire in Gaza."
Philip Jahshan, a Christian and journalist from Gaza, says Pope Francis was a "true ally" of the people of Gaza and that his death is a loss "for all of humanity, not just for the Palestinians."
"We remember how much he supported us."
"We remember that it was a real balm for us."
"We remember his daily calls."
"We remember his humility as he addressed us in the days of siege, death, war, and famine."
"It's a big loss for us."
"He was God's hand at work," he adds.
In addition to sadness, Christians in Gaza are also feeling increasing concern.
Ehab Eyad, also displaced and currently housed in the Holy Family Church, says: “We don’t know who the new pope will be.
"Will they care for us like Pope Francis cared for the people of Gaza, or will we be forgotten?"
"We feel great sadness, but at the same time we are worried about the future."
"Now we can only pray that Pope Francis rests in peace," he says.
A conclave of 135 cardinals is expected to gather in the Sistine Chapel soon to elect a new pope.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis strongly condemned Israeli military operations, saying the humanitarian situation in Gaza was "dangerous and shameful."
In December last year, after the Pope strongly criticized Israeli operations in Gaza, the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Adolf Titus Illana, for talks.
Pope Francis condemned the bombing of schools and hospitals, saying: "Children are being bombed. This is barbarity, not war."
Following the announcement of Pope Francis' death, Israeli President Isaac Herzog took to social media to ix wrote that he was "a man of deep faith and boundless compassion," who "dedicated his life to the spiritual upliftment of the poor and the call for peace in a troubled world."
"I sincerely hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages [in Gaza] will soon be answered," he wrote.
- Pope Francis was a vocal critic of the powerful, his influence felt far beyond the faith.
- Francis: The traditional pope from South America who changed the Catholic Church
- Who will be the next pope? Key candidates in an unpredictable race
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube i Viber. If you have a topic suggestion for us, please contact bbcnasrpskom@bbc.co.uk
Bonus video:
