Pizzaballa: A cardinal in the eye of the storm
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa only received the red hat a couple of weeks ago. But he has already become arguably one of the world’s most prominent cardinals.
His global visibility increased significantly Monday when he made one of the more striking proposals by a member of the College of Cardinals in recent memory.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who serves Latin Rite Catholics in Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine, said Oct. 16 that he was willing to be exchanged for Israeli hostages being held in Gaza by the Islamist group Hamas.
During an online briefing with journalists, he said: “If I am ready for an exchange? Anything, if this can lead to freedom and bring those children back home, no problem. On my part, absolute willingness.”
The comment generated global headlines, raising his profile instantly both in the Catholic world and beyond.
But who is Cardinal Pizzaballa? Will his hostage exchange offer be accepted? And if not, what difference — if any — will his proposal make?
