Syriac Maronite Patriarch Al- Raï and Syriac Catholic Patriarch Younan participate in meeting of Eastern Catholic Patriarchs held in Rome

Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Mor Ignatius Joseph III Younan and Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mor Beshara Boutros Al-Raï, participated in a meeting of the Eastern Catholic Patriarchs held in Rome.

During the meeting, they discussed preparations for the convening of the Roman Synod next year. Patriarch Al-Raï also received several delegations of political and religious figures with whom he discussed the situation in Lebanon and the need for the international community to support this country, especially with regard to holding elections.

During the meeting, the patriarchs discussed the affairs related to the Roman General Synod, which His Holiness Pope Francis called to convene in 2023 under the title “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission.”

They discussed the preparations made by the churches and dioceses for the convening of next year’s Synod, which entail appointing a representative for each church to collect documents and preparatory files from each diocese to send them to the secretariat of the Roman Synod, and also dealt with various ecclesiastical affairs.

On the other hand, Patriarch Al-Raï met with the Dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, Monsignor Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, accompanied by the tribuna’s Adjunct Promoter of Justice, Lebanese Maronite missionary Father Antonius Chouweifaty, to discuss the joint cooperation between the spiritual courts. He also received Monsignor Tommaso Stenico.

After that, Patriarch Al-Raï received a delegation of Italian Catholic parliamentarians and senators headed by Representative Lorenzo Chiesa, where he discussed with them ways to continue supporting the Lebanese people, especially after the Beirut Port explosion and the deterioration of the economic situation in Lebanon.

The need for the international community to support Lebanon with regard to the upcoming constitutional entitlements, and the necessity of holding them on time were both stressed.