Syriac Maronite Patriarch al-Rai: Current crises raise questions about role of Christians in Lebanon

DIMANE, Lebanon — During his sermon in Dimane, Lebanon, Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mor Bechara Boutros al-Rai emphasized that the ongoing conflicts, wars, and harassment of Christians in Lebanon raise serious questions about the role of the Church and Christians in upholding the image of Christ in every person.

“The people in southern Lebanon have chosen either to be displaced or to remain steadfast on their land, preserving their property and defying all difficulties,” the Patriarch stated. “Amid the tragedies Lebanon is enduring, discussions about the future of the country and the region are taking place, with an urgent need to elect a president to lead these talks and restore the functionality of constitutional institutions, particularly the House of Representatives, which has lost its legislative authority, and the Council of Ministers, which has lost many of its constitutional powers.”

He concluded by criticizing attempts to convince the public that Lebanon can function without a president, warning that the grim reality is the dissolution of the state.