LEBANON

CHBANIYEH, Lebanon – The Monastery of Saint Ephrem the Syriac in the village of Chbaniyeh, Baabda District, is more than 315 years old and the birthplace of the Ephraimite monastic order of the Syriac Catholic Church. It’s situated at an altitude of some 860 meters above sea level in rough…

BALAMAND, Lebanon — In a display of inter-Church solidarity, Syriac Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai paid a condolence visit to Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi at the Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in northern Lebanon following the devastating terrorist attack on the Church of Mar Elias in the…

BEIRUT — Charles Jabbour, Head of the Media and Communication Office of the Lebanese Forces party, emphasized that elections are a vital link between Lebanese citizens abroad and those residing in Lebanon in an interview on the program Bikol Hurriyeh aired on Suroyo TV.  He claimed that certain political factions…

BEIRUT — Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rejji received a delegation of Syriac Maronite bishops from various diaspora countries this week. The delegation included Bishop Edgar Madi from Brazil, Bishop Antoine Tarabay from Australia, Bishop Yuhanna Shamiya from Argentina, and Bishop Simon Faddoul from Central and West…

MAARAB, Lebanon — During a meeting with a delegation from Aaqoura, Lebanon, Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea firmly rejected any attempt to exclude Lebanese expatriates from national affairs, emphasizing their crucial role in Lebanon’s strength. Geagea highlighted that Lebanon’s strength lies in its land, dignity, will, freedom, and its…

ACHRAFIEH / BEIRUT — The Christian Front in Lebanon has issued a firm condemnation of the Lebanese election law only allowing expatriates to vote for six Lebanese parliament seats instead of all 128, arguing that such a measure undermines expatriates’ sovereign right to vote in their original electoral districts within Lebanon. …

BEIRUT — Following the Lebanese Parliament’s refusal to include a draft law allowing expatriates to vote for all parliamentary seats—instead of the current six—several MPs from the Lebanese Forces Party and Kataeb Party, along with others, walked out in protest. Despite their withdrawal, the session continued and proceeded with legislative…

BEIRUT — High-level political consultations are underway in Lebanon to formulate an appropriate response to the US proposal delivered by Thomas Barack, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria, during his visit to the Lebanese capital on June 19. The American proposal reportedly focuses on three main issues:…

GHOSTA, LEBANON — The town of Ghosta lies some 950 meters above sea level in Mount Lebanon Governate. In modern times it was the hometown of painter Daoud Corm (1852-1930), journalist and founder of Lebanon’s news agency Philippe Ziadeh (1909-2005), and final resting place for Jocelyne Khoueiry. In the 19th century,…

SOUTHERN LEBANON — Amid growing public tension and fears of a new escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border, Israeli warplanes on Friday carried out a series of airstrikes targeting several areas in southern Lebanon, including Ali al-Taher, the heights of Kfar Tibnit and Nabiyeh Fawqa, and Mount Shaqif. The strikes, which…