Al-Rahi Travels to U.S: I am Not a Man of Politics
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stressed on Saturday that his visit to the United States is simply a pastoral one.
He said: “I am not a man of politics or a man of state.”
He made his statements from the airport ahead of traveling to the United States where he is scheduled to visit a number of American cities, including New York and Los Angeles, where he will meet with members of the Maronite diaspora.
Asked about his call to hold a regional spiritual summit, al-Rahi replied: “The summit plays a major role in breaking the ice in the region and reinforcing Christian and Muslim principles.”
On whether he may visit Syria, he said: “It is my duty as patriarch to visit all parishes in Jordan, the holy land, Syria, and Arab world. I am obligated to visit all Maronites in the Arab world.”
Al-Rahi held talks on Friday with President Michel Suleiman ahead of his trip “out of his keenness on the role of the president as he precedes any foreign visit by holding talks with Suleiman,” a source monitoring the situation told As Safir newspaper in remarks published on Saturday.
The two sides noted that Lebanon is facing several dangers, the first is the danger against the Christians in the East, the second is the plan to divide the Middle East into sectarian “statelets,” the third is the Israeli threat against the region, and the last is the danger of plans to naturalize Palestinians in Lebanon.
“The patriarch is convinced that the Christians in Syria will face the same fate as those in Iraq,” it added.
It also revealed that al-Rahi will visit Iraq regardless of the security dangers in the country.
“His desire to visit Iraq stems from his loyalty towards the Christians who remain there,” it stressed.
“The trip is aimed at helping those who emigrated from Iraq return to their country,” it stated.
Al-Rahi reiterated these fears during a recent visit to France where he voiced a concern that extremists may assume power in Syria should anti-regime protests succeed in toppling the leadership.
The trip to Iraq will serve as a precursor to staging a spiritual summit in the Middle East, added As Safir.
The patriarch is expected to visit the Vatican after his trips to the United States and Iraq.
This last trip will demonstrate the extent of the current coordination between the patriarch and Vatican, reported the newspaper.
01 October 2011, 10:12
00
Faggot priest with utopian dreams of becoming patriarche since the 80's. He should not have seen it! The best comparison made to his situation was that with a deceased unpopular Mohammed El-Meouchy...
01 October 2011, 12:13
60
the filthy zionist information war department still cannot believe that we have such a patriotic maronite patriarch
01 October 2011, 13:28
10
geha, your comments reflects your name. Go get a life and spend less time on the internet. As your remarks are just a waste of webspace.
01 October 2011, 18:07
02
True! You are not a man of politics. Politicians are much smarter.
But since you've recognized that you are not a man of politics, why do you spend so much time on TV playing politics?
The fact that you told - and repeated to - the whole world that you are on a strictly pastoral visit is politics. Had your visit not been politically motivated, you wouldn't have spent so much effort trying to make us believe that it has nothing to do with politics. I suppose that you would describe your visit to the Lebanese south as pastoral? No politics in that visit either? Come on. Who are you kidding?
01 October 2011, 18:10
02
All Lebanese Americans should boycott the visit of Al Rahi over his outrageous stances, Al Rahi (just like all the other "religious" as well as political so called "leaders" in Lebanon) needs to be taught a lesson that his contempt to the very strong and rooted beliefs of the free Lebanese in General and Christians in particular, when it comes to Freedom and Democracy and his hijacking their will by his whims and personal ambitions WILL NOT BE TOLERATED, by taking these outrageous stances Al Rahi now has lost legitimicay and now only represents himself, his personal ambitions and cowardness.He couldn't be more at odds with the message of Christianity, he has become but a Hypocrite and the sooner he is made to resign (he will not do it on his own as he views it as a money churning job) the better it is for the free Lebanese and Vatican and the free peoples of the ME and the world. The Church has made numerous mistakes in its history let them not add a new one.
01 October 2011, 18:25
20
god bless u and preserve you as well as the whole christian community in the region
01 October 2011, 19:09
20
A very warm , huge and popular welcome is prepared to our beloved Patriarch Al RAHI in USA by the Maronites and the Christians Lebanese , and by all the Lebanese diaspora that are waiting for that visit to express their gratitude to His Beatitude for his firm stands and wonderful speech in Paris during his official visit ten few weeks ago . The Lebanese Diaspora Welcomes its Patriarch in USA with pride and hopes for a better Lebanon .
01 October 2011, 20:03
01
Le Phenicien i do not know which part of the USA you live in but here in New york the Al adhi will not be welcome with open arms but the patriarch will be . this man does not represent the consonances of the Christians in Lebanon . I'm a Maronite and i believe strongly in my religion but i don't stand with this man that calls him self a patriarch .
02 October 2011, 02:02
00
People who oist insulting comments are low-life. I do notnecessarily agree with wht Alrahi says, but he is still our Patriarch, and he deserves our respect. Being personal and insulting, reflects on theperson posting the commenr, more than anyting else. I fully agree, the patriarch should stick to religion; there are enough so called politicians in Lebanon. Long live lebanon.
