October 25, 2026
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi called on the Lebanese state to assume its full responsibilities towards the citizens and the nation, warning of the dangerous repercussions of the economic crises, and stressing the necessity of providing the elements of steadfastness and survival in the land.
Al-Rahi’s stances came during his presiding over a celebratory mass in the St. Louis Cathedral of the Capuchin Fathers in Bab Idriss, in commemoration of the 240th anniversary (400 years) of the presence of the Capuchin monastic order in Lebanon and the Near East. The mass was attended by Defense Minister Michel Mansi, representing the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, along with a crowd of religious and diplomatic figures.
The Patriarch stressed that national responsibility is based on “service, work, and putting the good of humanity and the nation ahead of private interests,” calling for securing job, education, housing, and medical opportunities for the Lebanese, and supporting youth and families to prevent their migration resulting from the pressure of crises. In this context, Al-Rai warned of the phenomenon of increasing land sales under the pressure of economic conditions, stressing that land “is not just physical property, but rather memory, roots, and identity.”
Regarding the political and security aspect, Al-Rai called on the state to restore citizens’ confidence in its institutions and establish its sole reference in protecting everyone. He stressed that restricting weapons under the authority of the state, and strengthening the army and security forces, constitute two basic pillars for the establishment of a state capable of protecting its land, people, and borders.
The Patriarch linked the issue of rebuilding what was destroyed and the return of families to their homes and villages to national and humanitarian responsibility, stressing the impossibility of settling citizens on their land if villages remain without opportunities, homes without reconstruction, and families without a sense of security.
Regarding foreign affairs, Al-Rahi called for employing Lebanese diplomacy and the country’s relations with the international community to support state institutions and achieve tangible results that enhance stability and recovery, concluding by emphasizing that Lebanon must remain “a land of meeting, not an arena of conflict, and a homeland of coexistence, not an arena of division.”
