VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI will present a papal document addressing the church’s concerns in the Middle East, meet with representatives of local Christian and Muslim communities, and address political and cultural leaders on a three-day visit to Lebanon Sept. 14-16. Pope Benedict’s primary task on the trip will be to present […]

  President Michel Suleiman denied on Wednesday claims that the Free Syrian army has set up camps in northern Lebanon. He said: “I have not received any information on such a development, but that does not mean that the security situation in Lebanon is well.” He made his remarks after meeting with a delegation from the editors […]

  The Maronite Bishops council noted on Wednesday that the recent dispute at parliament has created division in Lebanon “that is unwanted by all sides.” It urged in a statement after its monthly meeting “the adherence to constitutional practices” at parliament, calling on all sides against violating the “treaty of coexistence.” In addition, it said that they […]

  The short kidnapping of two ISF officers by Syrian forces inside Lebanon was strongly condemned by high officials yesterday, mainly by the President of the Republic Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel. Charbel described the act as unacceptable.

  “Due to the unstable security situation in Lebanon, the foreign ministry warns its citizens against traveling to Lebanon to maintain their safety, until further notice,” an unidentified high-ranking official in the ministry told the news agency. Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri told the National News Agency that the travel warning to Lebanon is […]

  The Christian MPs boycotted on Tuesday the second day of a parliamentary session to protest the parliament’s approval of permanently employing Electricite du Liban’s contract workers, local newspapers said. Change and Reform bloc, Phalange party and Lebanese Forces lawmakers took the decision to boycott the morning session. LBC TV reported that Ashrafieh bloc MPs also decided […]

  Earlier this month, reports came from the Syrian city of Qusayr of an ominous warning to the town’s Christians: Either join the Sunni-led opposition against Bashar al-Assad or leave. Soon after, thousands of Christians fled the town. After decades of protection by a secular-leaning dictatorship, the Qusayr ultimatum warned of a dark future for Syria’s […]

  Gunmen killed 10 people and wounded dozens when they opened fire and hurled grenades into two churches in the eastern Kenyan town of Garissa on Sunday, the latest in a string of attacks, police said. Gunmen burst into the churches in apparently coordinated attacks targeting worshippers as they held Sunday prayer services in Garissa, some […]

  عاد الى بيروت بعد ظهر اليوم البطريرك الماروني مار بشاره بطرس الراعي آتيا من انطاكيا بعد زيارة له شملت عدة مدن تركية اقام خلالها عدة قداديس هناك بمناسبة عيد القديسين بطرس وبولس.   وقد عاد الراعي على متن طائرة خاصة وضعها في تصرفه رجل الاعمال سركيس سركيس وكان في استقباله في المطار سفير تركيا […]

  شارك البطريرك الماروني مار بشارة بطرس الراعي والوفد المرافق بعد ظهر اليوم، في القداس الالهي الذي اقيم في كنيسة الكاثوليك في انطاكيا وترأسه مطران الأناضول روجيرو فرانشيسكيني في حضور السفير البابوي في تركيا انطونيو لوتشيبللو ولفيف من الكهنة والمؤمنين الأتراك.      بعد الانجيل أشاد فرانشيسكيني بزيارة الراعي وبالقداس الالهي الكبير الذي احتفل به […]