Bukhari Hands al-Rahi Invitation to Visit Saudi Arabia

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held talks Wednesday in Bkirki with Walid al-Bukhari, the chargé d'affaires of the Saudi Embassy in Lebanon.

“I was honored to visit His Eminence, Patriarch al-Rahi, and I handed him an invitation to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and meet with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, and His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a visit that is considered one of the most official visits,” Bukhari said after the meeting, describing the possible visit as “historic.”

Asked about the date of the visit, the envoy said it will take place “in the coming weeks.”

Should the visit happen, al-Rahi will be the latest high-ranking Lebanese figure to visit the kingdom in recent months.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri had visited Riyadh on Monday and Tuesday where he held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel had held talks with the crown prince in the kingdom in late September.