Syriac Maronite Patriarch al-Rai urges Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker to convene presidential elections for nation’s well-being

BEIRUT — In a Sunday sermon attended by Army Commander General Joseph Aoun and his family, Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Boutros al-Rai called upon Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri to initiate consecutive sessions for the prompt election of a new president without external interference, emphasizing an end to the closure of the Baabda Presidential Palace and the inclusive representation of the Maronite community.

Patriarch al-Rai underlined the critical role of every state official, emphasizing that their primary responsibility is to serve the public good as agents of the people and the constitution. He warned against betraying this duty, declaring it tantamount to betraying the trust bestowed upon elected officials by the citizens.

Expressing gratitude for the presence of individuals within the Maronite community who embody the qualities required for such responsibilities, the Patriarch urged Speaker Berri to mobilize representatives for successive sessions aimed at electing a president according to democratic principles. He stressed that this process must adhere to constitutional mandates and should not be contingent on external interference.

Emphasizing that the election of the president is the foremost obligation of the Council of Representatives, Patriarch al-Rai decried the continued abstention from this duty, characterizing it as a clear betrayal of the people’s trust and an evasion of their constitutional responsibilities. In his concluding remarks, he firmly asserted, “Enough with the closure of the Baabda Presidential Palace, and enough with the exclusion of the Maronite community, the foundational element in Lebanon’s formation.”