Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, on Tuesday welcomed participants at the beginning of a meeting with religious leaders and parliamentary bloc heads, along with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, in Bkerki.
Al-Rahi highlighted the importance of this “Lebanese family meeting for dialogue, allowing everyone to listen to one another, especially during these challenging times.” He expressed hope that “the visit of the Vatican Secretary of State would bring peace and end the war.”
“The Vatican provides us with the hope we need, as we are people of hope and faith,’ Al-Rahi emphasized.
Cardinal Parolin also delivered a speech, expressing his wish “to find solutions for Lebanon and its suffering people.”
Cardinal Parolin stressed that “the Lebanese model of coexistence and unity must be preserved in this region that is witnessing more than one conflict,” and he hoped “for everyone’s cooperation to reach a way out of the crisis and find solutions that bring hope to Lebanon
and its people.”
Attendees included Catholicos of the Armenian Orthodox Church Aram I Keshishian, Patriarch of the Armenian Catholics Raphael Bedros XXI, Greek Catholic Patriarch, Youssef Al-Absi, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, represented by Bishop Mar Severus Roger Akhrass, Greek Orthodox Patriarch, represented by Bishop Elias Audeh, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community, Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, Head of the Alawite Islamic Council Sheikh Ali Khodr, the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Paolo Borgia, Apostolic Vicar of Beirut for the Latins, Bishop Cesar Essayan, Head of the Chaldean community bishop Michel Kassarji, and Bishops Samir Mazloum, Hanna Alwan, Boulos Al-Sayyah, and Antoine Awkar.
A representative of the Shiite community did not attend, despite the invitation extended to the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council.
The meeting was also attended by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Gebran Bassil, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, MP Pierre Bou Assi representing Le
banese Forces leader Samir Geagea, and MP Nadim Gemayel representing Lebanese Kataeb Party chief, Sami Gemayel.
At the end of the meeting, Patriarch Al-Rahi held a luncheon banquet in honor of Cardinal Parolin and the attendees.
Following the luncheon banquet, Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, announced that the General Directorate of Islamic Endowments will circulate to preachers to dedicate next Friday’s sermon to pray for mercy for the people and martyrs in Gaza, south Lebanon, and various regions, and to pray to God Almighty to stop the war.
Patriarch Al-Rahi also addressed the call to ‘all Christians to devote prayers next Saturday and Sunday for peace in Gaza and southern Lebanon and an end to the war.’
In response to questions from the media, Patriarch Al-Rahi described the meeting as ‘great’, saying: ‘It was an important meeting between Muslims, Christians and politicians. We hope it will lead to positive results soon.’
Regarding the ‘Shiite component’ boycotting the meeting, Al-R
ai said: ‘I do not know why they were absent, knowing that they had confirmed their attendance.”
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
