Maronite Patriarch Beshara Boutros al-Rai reiterated during the Sunday mass at Bkirki his calls for Christians to stay in Lebanon and urged Christian leaders not to lose their “biblical values.”
“Lebanon is passing through a very critical phase threatening its foundations,” Rai said, stressing that the absence of a president and the “ongoing violation of the constitution, the national pact, the customs and traditions” were worsening the situation.
“I tell the Christians in Lebanon that their role today, more than any past day, is to commit to preserving Lebanon, its essence, people and institutions, as well as its culture and symbolism inside the Arab and Islamic world,” the patriarch said.
He addressed Christian political leaders in Lebanon and reminded them of the need to apply “biblical values” and the recommendations of late Pope Jean Paul II in their political behavior.
“They should remember that Lebanon owes its uniqueness and its particularity, which distinguish it from other Arab countries, to the Christians in particular,” Rai said.
The Lebanese parliament failed on Dec 10 and and for the 16th time in a row to elect a president to replace Michel Suleiman whose term ended on May 25.
As in the past sessions the parliament was unable to reach a quorum because the Iranian backed Hezbollah militant group and MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc MPs boycotted the sessions.
Speaker Nabih Berri postponed toto Jan. 7 , 2015 Lebanon’s presidential election
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