November 8, 2026
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi stressed the importance of neutralizing Lebanon from the conflicts of the axes and wars, stressing while presiding over Sunday mass in the Patriarchal edifice in Bkerke, in the presence of a crowd of official and spiritual figures and believers, that the country is in dire need of a stable peace and a state capable of adhering to its decisions, along with a single national reference for security and peace. He explained that neutrality aims to protect the nation from the security consequences of regional tensions, pointing at the same time to the necessity of reforming institutions and restoring the prestige of the law and the confidence of citizens.
Al-Rahi touched on the most prominent living and service crises, criticizing the frequent power outages in public departments and institutions due to the accumulation of dues, and considering that the citizen remains the weakest link in light of mismanagement. Regarding the environmental file, he rejected the policy of transferring random waste between landfills and regions, calling for the adoption of radical solutions based on sorting and recycling, as well as tightening oversight and accountability in the food safety and public health sector.
On the judicial level, Al-Rai called for letting the investigations into the “Dahr Al-Baydar” file run its full course, away from preemption, arguments, and political exploitation, stressing that restoring confidence in the state is closely linked to the effectiveness and integrity of the judiciary.
Regarding the general ecclesiastical and national affairs, he announced that the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon will hold its annual session tomorrow, Monday, over the course of a week, revealing that he had received a letter from the people of the five Christian border villages in the south (Rmeish, Dibal, Ain Ebel, Alma al-Shaab, and Al-Qawzah) containing ten urgent demands, stressing that they will be at the heart of the council’s deliberations. In the spiritual part of the sermon, he addressed the meanings of renewing the temple and the church, stressing that true renewal begins from the heart and extends to include national life and state institutions, praising the role of the “Crossroad – Way of the Cross” Association in crystallizing human and social solidarity among the people of the country.
