Al-Rahi Calls in Easter Message on Lawmakers to Elect New President

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged on Sunday lawmakers to attend parliamentary sessions to elect a new president, calling on prioritizing Lebanon's national interests.

“MPs should carry out their role to elect a new president,” al-Rahi said during his Easter sermon at Bkirki.

“It's an honor for lawmakers to elect the head of state,” he stressed.

On Wednesday, Speaker Nabih Berri called for a parliamentary session to elect a new president on April 23.

Al-Rahi addressed President Michel Suleiman, who attended the sermon, saying: “You said the truth and confronted everyone locally and internationally.”

“You pleased your conscience and history will be fair with you... You have restored Lebanon's status-quo in the international community” the Patriarch continued.

Suleiman's six-year term ends on May 25. But the Constitutional deadline for parliament to start convening to elect a new head of state started on March 25.

Under the 1943 power-sharing agreement, the president should be a Maronite, the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker a Shiite.

Only Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, a Maronite Christian, has officially announced his candidacy.

Al-Rahi held a behind-closed door meeting with Suleiman ahead of the Easter mass.

“The word vacuum shouldn't be mentioned cause its similar to death,” the patriarch told reporters.

Al-Rahi also expressed hope during his sermon that wars and violence around the world would come to an end.

“Arms should be put aside,” he said, hoping that “peace would prevail.”