Al-Rahi to Head to Iraq, Russia after Syria Visit
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi will head to Iraq and Russia soon after he made a short visit to Syria over the weekend.
According to An Nahar newspaper published on Monday, al-Rahi will head to Iraq during the upcoming two weeks to attend the enthronement of Louis Sako, the new patriarch of the Chaldean church.
Sako will replace Emmanuel III Delly who retired in December after reaching the age limit of 85 in the Christian church which recognizes the authority of the pope.
The Chaldean church, which has 700,000 followers and uses Aramaic -- the language that Jesus Christ would have spoken -- belongs to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.
But along with other Iraqi Christian communities, it has suffered persecution, forced flight and killings in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Before 2003 there were more than a million Christians living in Iraq. Now they number around 450,000.
Al-Rahi's trip to Iraq comes after a two-day visit he made to the capital of Syria, Damascus, over the weekend to attend the enthronement of Greek Orthodox leader Youhanna X Yazigi at the Church of the Holy Cross in Qassaa.
It was the first by a Maronite patriarch since Syrian and Lebanese independence in 1943.
The patriarch also presided a mass at Saint Anthony's Cathedral in the Christian district of Bab Tuma.
Al-Rahi's visit to Syria created a heated debate locally as several officials including President Michel Suleiman called against politicizing it.
The March 14 and 8 alliances are deeply split over the revolt in Syria as the opposition backs the collapse of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
However, sources in the church described the visit as “religious,” and supported by the Vatican.
An Nahar reported that al-Rahi will also head to Moscow on a four-day visit to consolidate ties between the Maronite Church and the Russian Orthodox Church.
11 February 2013, 13:54
13
Time for a non-european pope. If so, my bets are on a south american country.
11 February 2013, 17:02
30
Our comments look weird without the comment from flame thrower... Can't understand why his comment was deleted?
11 February 2013, 13:54
00
Time for a non-european pope. If so, my bets are on a south american country.
11 February 2013, 17:05
42
Slash... What positions are you so distressed about? Do you honestly believe the batrak is useless?
11 February 2013, 17:53
33
Starsky... How has he "backed" extremist states? Because he hasn't ignored his own christain flock? He is the leader of the whole Maronite church! Maronites are not only Lebanese! They are Syrian, Australian, American, Canadian, Brazilian, French, turkish, Iraqi etc, etc! There are even Israeli and palestinian Maronites!
There are 10 million Maronites around the world! All look to the batrak for spiritual support and guidance! In Syria... The third largest Maronite community in the world after Lebanon and brazil, he has a obligation to protect, help and guide them through this turmoil.
Not just Maronites, he is also the only middle eastern catholic cardinal! The Chaldeans and the Melkite and other Catholics in Palestine and Israel. He is the vatican's representative for the all middle east!
11 February 2013, 19:08
31
Your asking the batrak to stop looking at the world in terms of his christain flock? If he did so he would be neglecting his duty and position! He is not taking sides... He is just ignoring your politics and voicing his people's struggles! The christains done nothing but remain neutral and uninvolved but they have only been slaughtered and persecuted by these rebellions in return.
Do we blame the Sunni muftis in suadi Arabia and Egypt for all the terrorist problems? Maybe we should under your logic?
11 February 2013, 19:44
21
The christains in Iraq did not take sides! The christains in Syria have remained very neutral and there are many reports of christains siding with rebels and even a christain as the head of the opposition government. But that doesn't matter when the reality is that they are being slaughtered in Homs and other rebel fundemtalist strong holds. Make no mistake... I am not pro Ba'ath Syrian. I have no love for the Syrian regime! But don't glorify your fsa, they include the true rapists of lebanon, and most believe Lebanon is nothing more than the 16th Provence of Syria!
What goes around comes around but Lebanon has seen enough! This is repeat of the 75 civil war when the Sunni of Lebanon sided against the Lebanese army with the Palestinian... This time its the 250,000 Syrian refuges instead if Palestinians in Lebanon. Let's for once be truly patriotic and regect these terrorist against our patriotic army!
12 February 2013, 00:23
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Is the Pope catholic? The Christians of the Middle East do not join the West in attacking the Muslim identity and you everyone will be happy.
12 February 2013, 12:49
10
Good for him. He’s acting as a leader and should be commended on his trips. Sitting in Lebanon, while important, is not enough for a vibrant leader like him. I hope his journey end up in success. God bless him.
12 February 2013, 23:18
00
if we believe antoine basbous book "le tsunami arabe" detailing the patriarch connection with the syrian regime and since the patriarch is a fervent believer in "tahaluf al aqualliat" the like of aoun,frangieh,hezballah, assad, almaliki and iran, it is therefore perfectly logical for any observer to explain his speaches and his visits.
