Amid escalating military offensives carried out by Israeli forces on Lebanese soil, Lebanon’s religious leaders convened an extraordinary summit at the Maronite Patriarchal See of Bkerké on Oct. 16.
The summit, chaired by Maronite Patriarch Béchara Boutros Raï, aimed to foster unity among the nation’s faith communities in response to the “barbaric and brutal aggression” affecting the country.
According to Agenzia Fides, Patriarch Raï lamented the ongoing conflict, describing Lebanon as a “wounded homeland,” adding that “the wound is infecting each of us.”
He called on the summit participants to embrace their “spiritual, moral, and national responsibility” in the face of this crisis.
The gathering saw the participation of a broad spectrum of religious leaders, including the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch Yohanna X Yazigi, Druze Sheikh Akl Sami Abi el-Mona, Sunni Mufti Abdul Latif Daryan, Vice President of the Higher Shiite Islamic Council Ali el-Khatib, and President of the Evangelical Community Joseph Kassab, among others. Archbishop Paolo Borgia, the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, was also present.
The summit’s final communiqué condemned the Israeli offensive in the strongest terms, accusing Israel of committing acts that “ignore international treaties and laws, in particular the Charter of Human Rights, the United Nations and the UN Security Council and their resolutions.”
It denounced the destruction of Gaza, including “hospitals, mosques, and churches,” and mourned the deaths of “children, women and disabled people.”
Expressing solidarity with the victims of the conflict, the religious leaders extended their condolences for “the martyrs of the Homeland who sacrificed their lives in defense of Lebanon, and for the innocent victims among civilians, women, children, disabled people and the elderly.”
They prayed for the “Almighty God to heal the wounded and grant them a speedy recovery.”
The summit emphasized the necessity of national unity, with the communiqué asserting, “The barbaric Israeli aggression against Lebanon affects all of Lebanon and undermines the dignity and pride of all Lebanese.”
The statement urged the Lebanese people to unite, stating that the country “thanks to their unity” could “resist and repel the enemy.”
In a set of nine key points, the religious leaders called on the United Nations Security Council to impose an immediate ceasefire and end the “humanitarian massacre perpetrated against Lebanon.”
They also urged the Lebanese government to overcome its political paralysis by swiftly electing a President of the Republic “who enjoys the trust of all Lebanese.” The strengthening of the Lebanese army’s defense capabilities was also stressed as a priority.
The leaders extended their gratitude to Arab and international allies for their continued support, particularly for the humanitarian aid provided to displaced individuals.
They also acknowledged the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for its ongoing efforts to safeguard Lebanon’s southern borders, despite “unjustified Israeli harassment.”
In closing, the Lebanese religious leaders – Christian, Muslim, and Druze – prayed for peace, asking God to “bless us with a just, lasting and global peace and to make us peacemakers.”
They pleaded for divine protection for Lebanon, concluding with a message of hope for the nation’s resilience in the face of the ongoing conflict.
