Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi on Thursday began a solidarity visit to clashes-hit south Lebanon by praying at the Our Lady of the Seas Cathedral in the city of Tyre.

“This solidarity visit, amid difficult circumstances, is a humanitarian duty in the face of the enormity of what is happening and is for the sake of peace […] We can only come to Tyre to say to all our people in the south that we are with you and stand by you,’ Al-Rahi stated.

“We are keen to come to preserve our unity in its diversity, and this war is destructive not only in Gaza but is a war outside all civilization and humanitarian laws. We came to declare peace. Without peace, there is no life, and every human has a role, and we do not accept to distort humanity’s role,’ he noted.

“We want to stand against hatred and hostility as brothers. This is the true Lebanese culture, and this is the true spiritual and ecclesiastical culture,’ Al-Rahi continued.

“All towns are experiencing the consequences of the war on Gaza, and
the residents of southern towns have been forced to leave their homes. We salute all the towns and residents who are our brothers and our people, and we call for the protection of the homeland,’ Al-Rahi urged.

“We must work for the Palestinian cause, which is 75 years old […] we do not accept this cause to be erased quickly but seek permanent peace,’ he stated.

The Patriarch emphasized that the two-state solution is required and achieves peace, and they will work to be peacemakers.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon