Al-Rahi Meets Kirill, Stresses Need for Cooperation to Preserve Mideast Christian Presence
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stressed on Tuesday the need for cooperation with the Russian Church in order to preserve the Christian presence in the Middle East.
He said after holding talks with Russian Orthodox Church leader Patriarch Kirill: “Christians should play an active role in the region as it has always done throughout history, since the time of Christ.”
“We feel the need for greater cooperation between the Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches given the recent developments,” he added.
The patriarch said that this cooperation was needed in the face of regional political conflicts and against attacks against Christians.
Al-Rahi explained that he “fears that the so-called Arab Spring will result in the rule of forces that may threaten the stability of the region and the coexistence among its people, which we are seeking to maintain.”
Cooperation between the different churches will help the Christians’ coexistence with Muslims and help it confront the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts, he continued.
For his part, Kirill reiterated the patriarch’s fears over the presence of Christians in the region, saying that the church “cannot remain silent over the violence and oppression they are facing.”
He hoped that this oppression will not diminish their population, noting that the region cannot live without the people who established it.
“Muslims and Christians have lived together for 1500 years and we are living in a time of culture and human rights, and therefore it is unacceptable for people residing in the same region to combat each other,” he stressed.
“We should all work together to achieve peace and justice in the world, especially in this region,” he stated.
Kirill arrived in Lebanon on Sunday where he has so far met with President Michel Suleiman.
He is scheduled to head to Syria after his Beirut trip.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/20343 |