Lebanon’s new patriarch invited to Syria

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Syrian ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali invited on Wednesday the newly elected Maronite patriarch Beshara Rai to visit Damascus, after years of tense ties with the Lebanese church.

“I am here to convey President Bashar al-Assad’s congratulations and warm wishes to his excellency and invite him to Damascus, where he is always welcome,” Ali told reporters Wednesday after visiting the Church’s ‘s headquarters in Bkirki to congratulate the patriarch.

“Damascus wants the best for Lebanon, and Patriarch Rai knows this” , Ali added

Bishop Beshara Rai, 71, was elected on Tuesday as the 77th patriarch of Lebanon’s Maronites, the country’s largest Christian community which makes up about one third of the four-million population.

He succeeds Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, who resigned recently due to his age after serving for 25 years as Patriarch of Antioch for the Maronites.

Sfeir, 90 had asked several months ago to be relieved of his post because of his age. Sfeir’s resignation was accepted last month during a meeting with the pope on the sidelines of a visit to the Vatican to unveil a statue of the Maronite Church founder Saint Maroun on the outer wall of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Sfeir in 2000 had openly declared opposition to Syria’s three decades of domination over Lebanon that ended five years later when Damascus withdrew its troops following the assassination in 2005 of former premier Rafik Hariri

After several years of strained relations, Lebanon and Syria agreed to establish diplomatic ties in October 2008 for the first time since their independence 60 years ago.

Ali is Syria’s first ambassador to Lebanon

Patriarch Rai is known for opposing Hezbollah arms. In April 2010 he told Voice of Lebanon that the Lebanese cabinet should have control over Hezbollah’s weapons arsenal.

Rai, who was Archbishop of Jbeil at the time voiced concern over the party’s armament, and called for a unanimous decision regarding the general use of weapons in Lebanon.

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17 responses to “Lebanon’s new patriarch invited to Syria”

  1. Mosetsfire Avatar
    Mosetsfire

    Rai will be like Sfeir… Even as a Muslim I preferred the voice of Sfeir to the voice of Qabbani becaue I felt Sfeir spoke with more authority. I can only hope Rai will take the role of Patriarch with the same demeanor and just words that Sfeir did. He is the father of Lebanese Christians, so I consider him an uncle. 🙂

    PS. I hope he rejects the Syrian invitation.

    1. Hannibal Avatar

      He shouldn’t reject Bashar’s invitation because Bashar wants to confess his sins… LOL

  2. Mosetsfire Avatar
    Mosetsfire

    Rai will be like Sfeir… Even as a Muslim I preferred the voice of Sfeir to the voice of Qabbani becaue I felt Sfeir spoke with more authority. I can only hope Rai will take the role of Patriarch with the same demeanor and just words that Sfeir did. He is the father of Lebanese Christians, so I consider him an uncle. 🙂

    PS. I hope he rejects the Syrian invitation.

    1. Hannibal Avatar

      He shouldn’t reject Bashar’s invitation because Bashar wants to confess his sins… LOL

  3. Rai will be like Sfeir… Even as a Muslim I preferred the voice of Sfeir to the voice of Qabbani becaue I felt Sfeir spoke with more authority. I can only hope Rai will take the role of Patriarch with the same demeanor and just words that Sfeir did. He is the father of Lebanese Christians, so I consider him an uncle. 🙂

    1. He shouldn’t reject Bashar’s invitation because Bashar wants to confess his sins… LOL

  4. nabilabuzaid Avatar
    nabilabuzaid

    Hey I thought Aoun was the Patriarch of the Middle East what you doing inviting Rai to Syria? Aoun will be very jealous now and why don’t the Syrian worry about the welfare of their own people instead of trying to entice the New Patriarch into their fold..

  5. nabilabuzaid Avatar
    nabilabuzaid

    Hey I thought Aoun was the Patriarch of the Middle East what you doing inviting Rai to Syria? Aoun will be very jealous now and why don’t the Syrian worry about the welfare of their own people instead of trying to entice the New Patriarch into their fold..

  6.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Hey I thought Aoun was the Patriarch of the Middle East what you doing inviting Rai to Syria? Aoun will be very jealous now and why don’t the Syrian worry about the welfare of their own people instead of trying to entice the New Patriarch into their fold..

  7. lebnaneh Avatar

    i thing bashar lost his list and want to know more about the christans he want to kill or jail why does RAI want to go to syria all what he have to do go visit any toilet and will have the same smells as syria

  8.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    i thing bashar lost his list and want to know more about the christans he want to kill or jail why does RAI want to go to syria all what he have to do go visit any toilet and will have the same smells as syria

    1. nabilabuzaid Avatar
      nabilabuzaid

      And your point jackass..

    2. nabilabuzaid Avatar
      nabilabuzaid

      And your point jackass..

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      And your point jackass..

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