Lebanon Prays for Peace in Syria, Calls for Saving Maalula
Churches in Lebanon held prayers on Saturday night for peace in Syria and against any armed intervention in the country, in a response to Pope Francis' calls.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi led prayers at Our Lady of Lebanon basilica in Harissa, the state-run National News Agency said.
"This is a day for prayers and we ask the Lord through Lady Mary for peace,” al-Rahi said at the prayer vigil.
The head of the church tackled the political and security situation in Lebanon during the mass, warning of the spread of weapons and autonomous security.
"Because of the political fragmentation in Lebanon, the constitutional institutions are stumbling,” he expressed.
"This tiny country has received over one million and a half of Syrian refugees escaping the turmoil and the killings in their country, and Lebanon is bearing the cost on the security, social and economic levels.”
Al-Rahi also called for forming a capable cabinet, urging political factions to reach out to each others, and put the interests of the state's institutions “above all considerations.”
Earlier in the day, following a meeting under al-Rahi, bishops had called for resolving the Syrian crisis through dialogue and peaceful diplomatic means.
Prayers were also held in the Bekaa, as Zahle and Bekaa Greek Catholic Archbishop Issam Darwish urged the world to save the famed Christian town of Maalula in Syria.
"Save Maalula, save heritage, history and religious coexistence,” he urged during a mass in Zahle.
Darwish added: “We particularly pray today for the residents of Maalula as this town was attacked by gunmen yesterday and today and a human massacre took place there. Churches and monasteries have been destroyed, 80% of the village's residents have fled, and several young men were abducted.”
"In front of evil, we can only pray for the world to hear the voice of consciousness. We pray for the evil hands to stop and for peace to be restored in Syria and the East.”
Maalula is an ancient town that symbolizes the Christian presence in Syria and where residents speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ used by few communities around the world.
The town north of Damascus had been spared from the violence that has rocked Syria since March 2011, until Wednesday when violence broke out there for the first time since the conflict erupted.
Meanwhile, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Youhanna X al-Yaziji arrived in Beirut on Saturday, coming from Amman where he met with Jordanian King Abdullah.
“We hail Pope Francis' calls for prayers for peace in Syria,” al-Yaziji told reporters upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport. “This is what everyone's hoping for.”
Regarding Maalula, the patriarch said he contacted the monastery in the town.
"We were informed that limited clashes took place there, and no attacks happened,” he revealed.
"We urge the international community to reject any attacks that might target Christians there.”
Al-Yaziji said he has no new information regarding the whereabouts of the kidnapped bishops, Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji.
"We have asked King Abdullah for help in this respect and he expressed his readiness.”
Muslim clerics also backed the pope's call for a day of fasting and prayer.
The vice president of the Higher Shiite Council, Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan said: "Islam calls consistently for peace and harmony, and we consistently condemn killings, terrorism and foreign interference.”
Pope Francis has ratcheted up his call for peace in Syria amid the threatened U.S.-led military strikes following the alleged Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack near Damascus.
But he has also been careful not to lay blame on any one side, exhorting world leaders instead to focus on the plight of Syrian civilians and the need to end the violence.
Francis -- who led a mass vigil at the Vatican on Saturday -- has called for a "cry for peace" from humanity, firmly opposing all fighting including the military strikes against the Syrian regime being pushed by the United States and France.
Source: Naharnet
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