Lebanese Patriarchs warn of political paralysis and corruption in Sunday sermons

BEIRUT / BETH KERKE, Lebanon — During his Sunday sermon at the Patriarchal Edifice in Beth Kerke (Bkerké), Lebanon, Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mor Bechara Boutros al-Rai likened Lebanon to a “paralyzed state,” crippled by lost sovereignty and foreign interference that fuels division.

Patriarch al-Rai described Lebanon as politically and economically stagnant, citing the erosion of sovereignty due to external meddling, political deadlock, democratic collapse, and mounting debt. He also pointed to rising poverty, unemployment, and the decline of agricultural and industrial production as further evidence of the nation’s crisis.

While expressing gratitude to nations assisting Lebanon, he emphasized that true recovery requires national unity. The Patriarch lamented that many Lebanese prioritize self-interest over communal solidarity.

“Lebanon is treated as a collection of power centers rather than a unified state,” he said.

Meanwhile, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut and its Environs Archbishop Elias Odeh echoed similar concerns during his sermon at St. George Cathedral. He expressed sorrow over what he called the “demons of corruption” deeply entrenched in Lebanese society.

Odeh described Lebanon’s moral crisis as being driven by pride, greed, and hatred — forces he believes manipulate both leaders and citizens. He argued that systemic corruption continues to block reform and reconstruction.

The Archbishop urged officials to engage in self-reflection and correct their course before Lebanon collapses further.