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Vatican City - Entering through the main gate of the convent of San Salvatore, in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, one is immediately enveloped by that distinctive scent—a blend of incense and ancient stone—that only certain places of prayer manage to preserve intact over time. To the right, in silent austerity, lies the Curia; further ahead, the seminary, with its rhythm marked by prayer and study. On the ground floor, the refectory can be glimpsed, where the clatter of plates mingles with the subdued murmur of the friars. We stop for lunch with the community and then, climbing the stairs, reach the community room where the friars of the Custody gather after meals.
It is precisely in that small room on the second floor that—according to various accounts in Jerusalem—Pierbattista Pizzaballa, when he was Custos of the Holy Land, would indulge in rather borderline remarks. A friar among friars, but also a man of power among the most cunning, in informal moments he displayed a very different side to his institutional persona. “Often, when he was with us, even within the community, over a drink or two, he would make comments. He used nicknames like ‘little skanks’ and the like to refer to us,” recounts someone who knew him well. These remarks were reportedly made by the Patriarch even to some friars in the sacristy while preparing for an Eucharistic Celebration. In a context that should be fraternal and respectful, such expressions reveal not only a sharp tongue but also a culture shaped over the years which Silere non possum has often condemned: that coarse way of speaking, referring to others with feminine diminutives. A style that says much about the person who speaks in such terms. Upon returning to the Vatican and sharing these accounts with a Curial cardinal, his bitter reaction to the remarks was: “It would be interesting to go from faggotry to little skanks, quite the step up.”
When talent becomes threatening
Pierbattista Pizzaballa is one of those prelates who has shown, over time, a notable inability to appreciate authentic talent. Instead, he has preferred to surround himself with individuals who are either controversial or simply mediocre—so long as they remain quiet, loyal, and entirely harmless. Even here in the Vatican, requests for appointments have come from Pizzaballa, who sought to promote men with questionable leadership skills, fully committed to never outshining him. The fear that someone might actually “do better” led to the systematic exclusion of competent and respected figures. At the same time, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is described as a good administrator, who managed to resolve not a few financial problems both in the Custody and in the Patriarchate. Pizzaballa is also one of those friars who, after being appointed bishop, completely abandoned the habit, forgetting that the black cassock is not the everyday attire of a Franciscan friar.
From the Custody to the Patriarchate
Born in 1965 in Castel Liteggio, in the province of Bergamo, Pizzaballa began his journey among the Friars Minor at a young age. After classical and theological training between Rimini, Ferrara, and Bologna, he was ordained a priest in 1990. His vocation soon led him to the Holy Land, where he studied at the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum and the Hebrew University, distinguishing himself for his expertise in Jewish matters and his ability in interreligious dialogue. In 2004, he was appointed Custos of the Holy Land, a role he held for twelve consecutive years: an exceptionally long mandate that allowed him to become a key figure in mediations between Israel and Palestine. Pope Francis, in 2016, appointed him apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
“In truth, he didn’t want to become Patriarch—that’s why he remained Administrator for a long time. He preferred to return to Italy as bishop of a diocese or even to the Curia. But here in Jerusalem, he’s aware of certain unclear dynamics that have always made him a target for Israel,” they explain within the Patriarchate. However, Francis was determined to appoint him Patriarch, and in 2020 the nomination came.
A loose tongue
Another criticism levelled at the Friar Minor concerns his casualness in disclosing matters that should remain confidential. After being appointed administrator, it is said, “Pizzaballa began publicly sharing sensitive information about the Patriarchate’s financial crisis.” Not only with the clergy, but also with groups of pilgrims, benefactors, and ordinary visitors he received. Reckless words, which suggested harsh criticism of the emeritus Patriarch Fouad Twal and cast doubts on the correctness of the previous administration. The resulting damage to the institution’s reputation and the growing mistrust were significant, and the local clergy began to question the appropriateness of such disclosures, despite the undeniable problems of the previous mandate. Priests began to wonder whether Pizzaballa was more concerned with the good of the institution or his own self-promotion.
A particularly painful episode highlights Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa’s inability to handle sensitive and personal matters with the necessary discretion. The story concerns a young seminarian from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, whose situation reached the ears of the friars at San Salvatore Convent, testifying to how widely it had spread within the small local Church circle. The seminarian had been asked to leave the seminary after an unfavourable assessment by his superiors. Among the reasons were matters linked to his affective maturity and personal development. Pizzaballa endorsed the judgment of the formators, and the decision was carried out. The young man returned home, and the matter—at least formally—seemed closed. It must be remembered, however, that in this cultural context, the issue of sexual orientation remains a strong taboo. “Homosexuality here is neither understood nor accepted, not even within families, which live in fear of public judgement,” explains a religious who knows the local reality well. Despite this—or perhaps precisely due to a lack of sensitivity to these dynamics—Pizzaballa is said to have made a serious blunder. During a dinner attended by several priests—including the parish priest of the young ex-seminarian—he allegedly made the shocking comment: “There are fag circles—well, with this one, we’ve taken one out, at least.” A remark that caused scandal, not only due to its vulgarity but also for the flippancy with which it was uttered—especially considering the responsibility of the speaker. The parish priest present reported what he had heard within his parish, following a sadly familiar pattern in some clerical environments: great zeal for others’ affairs, little vigilance over one’s own laundry basket. The word quickly spread, eventually reaching the young man’s family, who reacted violently, going so far as to physically assault him in public and throw him out of the house. In a context where family honour is still tied to dynamics of social shame, the act was also a public show of disapproval. The young man thus suddenly found himself alone, in a hostile environment, forced to leave the country for an extended period. This tragic episode, which deeply marked the life of this young man, reveals a serious lack of humanity on the part of the Patriarch and a tendency towards gossip which, on such delicate matters, can have devastating consequences. It is not merely a matter of style or language: it is a question of pastoral responsibility and respect for human dignity.
Distance from the clergy and tensions among the friars
Within the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and among the Friars Minor, Pizzaballa has often left behind a divided environment. Some describe him as power-hungry, others accuse him of being gossipy and incapable of building sincere relationships with fellow friars. Others still defend him staunchly. According to many, the cardinal maintains a rather cold relationship with the local clergy, preferring to surround himself with foreign collaborators, particularly Italians, such as his secretary and all-purpose chancellor. This distance fosters a sense of exclusion and generates tension in a territory where communion between the shepherd and his priests is vital.
A controversial political figure
Pierbattista Pizzaballa has been among the very few members of the ecclesiastical hierarchy to publicly take a clear and courageous stance in favour of the rights of the Palestinian people, even during the most dramatic moments of the conflict. After the escalation of violence in Gaza in 2023, he even declared his willingness to offer himself in exchange for the children taken hostage by Hamas. Over time, he has also openly denounced the serious violations committed by Israel in the occupied territories, words that shocked many for their clarity and force. Pizzaballa speaks with knowledge: he knows the Palestinian reality deeply, has lived its wounds, and for years has listened to the suffering of a people deprived of their fundamental rights. But such honesty, in a region where even truth is contested, comes at a price. On numerous Israeli public and private communication channels, photographs circulate showing the cardinal with the keffiyeh draped over his shoulders—a symbol of Palestinian resistance—accompanied by crude and hateful insults. His figure has become the target of a campaign of delegitimisation and scorn, especially from those who view any gesture of solidarity with the Palestinians as betrayal. This steadfastness, however well-founded and necessary, risks making him a divisive candidate in the upcoming conclave. The next Pope, after all, will have to not only mend the Church’s internal wounds but also restore to the Holy See the credibility and diplomatic neutrality that many now perceive as compromised. In this context, Pizzaballa’s image—though personally respectable and prophetically intentioned—may not be the unifying figure the Church so urgently needs. Not to mention his relatively young age, which could risk “condemning the Church to an eternal pontificate,” as someone remarked.
Towards the Sistine Chapel
Pierbattista Pizzaballa will be among those entering the Sistine Chapel on 7 May 2025 to elect the next Successor of Peter. And he will do so with a full résumé, but also with many questions hanging over him. “He left Jerusalem as a Pope, and will return as a cardinal,” they say from the Holy Land. Much comment was stirred by a video, also circulated in the Vatican, which showed him leaving the Patriarchate of Jerusalem amid the acclaim of collaborators, who seemed to be bidding him farewell for good. Those who know him well say that Pizzaballa is not an easy man to read and is a shrewd figure, skilled at speaking ill even of those he does not know—which does not offer a flattering image of this friar.
p.S.F.
Silere non possum