NNA – Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, presided this morning over the feast Mass of “Our Lady of Lebanon” and the start of the Marian month in the Basilica of “Our Lady of Lebanon” in Harissa. In his homily, the Patriarch prayed to the Virgin Mary, the Lady of Lebanon, on her feast, “to protect our homeland and our people, preserve it as the land of faith and prayer, and sow peace in the hearts.” “With the beginning of the Marian month, we raise our eyes and our hearts to our Mother, the Virgin Mary, the Lady of Lebanon, and with the Lebanese, we are looking for a new hope that prayers may bring to them, becoming their main longing as recovery plans and reform projects remain useless in an atmosphere of utmost hatred, and as the positive effect of parliamentary and presidential elections remains limited unless accompanied by the spirit of harmony and devotion, for no issue or crisis is resolved with grudges,” the Patriarch said. “With kindness we resolve any disagreement even if deep, while with hatred we fail to resolve any disagreement even if superficial,” al-Rahi affirmed.
Referring to the recent Tripoli boat tragic incident, the Patriarch said: “Images of the sinking boat disaster off Tripoli’s shores are still vivid before our eyes, and the pain continues in our hearts as we see the death of children, youth, mothers and fathers, and we prayed for the souls of the fallen victims and for comfort and condolences to their families. It is not permissible for this tragedy to be a mere passing event, as some people try to turn its page just as they are trying to turn the page on the Beirut port blast and the explosion of the village of Al-Tleil in Akkar and others…