Macron tells Rahi 'Lebanon is and will remain' in his heart

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, who attended this weekend the reponing of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, briefly discussed on the sidelines of the ceremonies, the presidential impasse with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Al-Rahi told a group of journalists in Paris that Macron had expressed France's keenness to help Lebanon, including in filling its presidential void. He said that Macron had told him that "Lebanon is and will remain" in his heart.

Parliament will meet on January 9 to elect a new president, seeking to end more than two years without a head of state. The country has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- having the majority required to elect one, and unable to reach a consensus.

Al Rahi said he expects the presidential vote session to be fruitful this time. "We do not have a candidate, the church is not supposed to have candidates, but we know all the candidates and they are good," he said.

The Patriarch admitted that he had failed in bringing together political leaders, including Christian leaders. The real reason is that these leaders have personal interests, he said, urging Lebanese politicians to "change" and to start speaking "the language of the Lebanese people."

Al-Rahi told the journalists that the Lebanese yearn to live in peace and that Christians opened their homes to the displaced during Israel's war on Lebanon. He said that there are no disagreements between the Lebanese but rather between Lebanon's politicians," adding that Hezbollah must stop making war and peace decisions "because such decisions concern all the Lebanese".

A U.S. and French-brokered 60-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel was reached last month after more than 13 months of clashes that escalated into a full-out war. The ceasefire has been rattled by near daily Israeli strikes. Al-Rahi said he hopes for a permanent ceasefire, reassuring the Lebanese that Lebanon is "heading toward peace".

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and dozens of heads of state and government were also attending the cathedral ceremonies, and nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world took part in the inaugural Mass.

Al-Rahi met there with Trump's senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs Massad Boulos, a Lebanese American businessman who is the father-in-law of Trump's daughter Tiffany. Boulos told al-Rahi he plans to visit Lebanon, without specifying a date.