The head of the Maronite Church and Patriarch of Antioch and All of the East, Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, will make his first-ever pastoral visit to the United Kingdom from 7- 14 January 2023, to meet Christian church leaders and members of his church based here.
At a time of unprecedented political and economic turmoil in Lebanon, and no President appointed, Cardinal al-Rahi, as head of the largest Christian denomination in the country, has become its leading voice, speaking up especially for the 80 per cent of the population that has been pushed into poverty, as well as expressing his concerns for the survival of Christianity in the Middle East.
These issues and the concerns of members of the Maronite Church, both in Lebanon and across the globe, will be among the topics Cardinal al-Rahi will address during his talks with Church leaders in the Midlands; British Government ministers; British parliamentarians; and representatives of the British and foreign diplomatic corps.
Presidential vacuum
Patriarch Bechara Al-Rai has been calling on Lebanese politicians to help play their part in the election of a new president following 10 failed attempts.
He appealed to politicians to stop impeding the process and to help create a situation in which the state’s institutions can resume work to help address the country’s economic crisis.
MPs have held 10 failed sessions to elect a president, with Hezbollah and its allies casting blank votes and repeatedly withdrawing from the second round of voting, resulting in a loss of quorum.
Al-Rai said: “Arrogance is stopping the politicians from holding a dialogue to overcome the presidential election crisis, while the wailing of the hungry and grieving people does not reach the ears of their heart and conscience.”
International Conference
The Patriarch says he wants an international conference to help resolve the problems in Lebanon, under the auspices of the UN and friendly countries.
Al-Rai, who added that some politicians seemed unconcerned about citizens’ suffering, was speaking at Sunday Mass in Bkirki.
His appeal came as Christmas was observed with midnight Masses and Sunday morning services amid strict security measures undertaken by the military and security forces.
Al-Rai asked in his sermon: “How could they forget the face of mercy revealed to us at Christmas?”
The presidential deadlock was also referenced by other religious figures.
He asked: “Didn’t some political groups prevent the formation of a government before the end of Michel Aoun’s term, although they know that the present government is a resigned caretaker cabinet, the role of which will be problematic to determine?”
He said that the election was being obstructed on purpose so Lebanon would remain without any legitimate state.
He added: “They are preventing our state from having a president for personal, sectarian and foreign reasons.
“What do you want? Why are you taking revenge on Lebanon? Why are you destroying the state of Lebanon?
“Whatever the circumstances might be, electing a president remains the top priority.
“There’s no country in the world without a president. Those preventing the election of a president for the whole country are preventing the rise of Lebanon.”
He added that the Maronite patriarchate would continue its struggle and endeavors to enable the election to reach its conclusion as soon as possible.
He said: “The regional conflict is obstructing these endeavors, because someone wants a president who belongs to them, with a project that belongs to them, not a president for the historical Lebanese project.
“But we will not allow this. The country is not the property of one side without the other.”
Al-Rahi said he wanted an international conference to help resolve the problems in the country, under the auspices of the UN and friendly countries.
He added that this would help to “neutralize the country in the face of any military conflict, and the situation would remain under control in this unaccounted for period in the region.”
He said: “We call for this conference because we have lost hope in our politicians.”
ICN/ AN
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