Patriarch Rai from South Lebanon Reiterates Importance of Resistance, Coexistence

Local Editor

Following the historic visit of Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rahi to Baalbeck, the city of the sun, the Christian leader launched on Saturday a three-day trip to South Lebanon, in he toured the victorious southern towns, and where huge crowds welcomed him and his national stances.

The Patriarch began his schedule from the southern city of Tyr. The patriarch delivered a speech in which he hoped that God would inspire political leaders to take the appropriate decisions that would fall in Lebanon's favor.
"We hope they will take political decisions that can ensure the people's freedom and protect the coexistence between Muslims and Christians in Lebanon and the whole region," he said. "We are not idly watching the developments in the Arab world, but we are praying for them and all the people who are seeking to live in dignity and peace," he said .

On the second day o f his visit to South Lebanon, Patriarch Bechara Rahi visited Hasbayya where he urged the Lebanese to engage in National dialogue. He told them that Lebanon could in no way bypass any UN Security Council resolutions.

During his visit to the Southern Lebanese town of Jdeidet Marjeoyoun, the Patriarch told interlocutors that the major challenge facing the country is to ingather all the Lebanese in order to mend the country's social fabric. He reiterated previous calls on politicians to engage in inter-confessional dialogue, since in his words, face to face dialogue proved to be more effective than media polemics.

The Patriarch then arrived to the liberated Al-Khiyam city, where he was received by massive crowds as well as officials including Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawwaf Al-Moussawi, and Amal movement MP Ali Hasan Khalil.
The celebrations were concluded with a speech for Patriarch Rahi who greeted Al-Khiyam, its firmness, and its martyrs, and recalled that during the July 2006 war, when the citizens of the South resided in Jbeil due to the outrageous attacks that were being waged against their towns, he went to visit them and expressed his deep respect to them.

At the arrival of the Patriarch, church bells were rung and calls for prayers were played in concurrence as a symbol of the Islamic-Christian unity.
Patriarch Rahi assured that those who sacrificed, suffered, and martyred for the sake of this country, were the reason for our survival, and so we should preserve this.

He further indicated that all the pains, wars, occupations, and victims brought awareness to Lebanon and its people, and pointed out that at a time when hatred is dominating the world, the Lebanese people are getting closer together and embracing each other more.

Then, Maronite Patriarch arrived in the City of Nabatieh, amidst a crowd of citizens and prominent dignitaries who gathered around to welcome him.
On his way to Nabatieh, Al-Rai passed through a number of towns, namely Aishieh, Jarmak and Kfarreman, where he had a little stop.
Al-Rai reiterated gratitude for the warm welcome he received, stressing once again on national unity between Christians and Muslims and on the importance of his motto of partnership and kindness.

On and on again, the Patriarch stressed the importance of resistance fighters and the people of the South who sacrificed for the sake of the country and people.
At night, the Maronite Patriarch arrived to Bint Jbeil after a 3-hour delay due to the tremendous numbers of people present at the streets and squares to take part in the popular reception. The Patriarch assured that the will of the Lebanese is greater and stronger than all schemes and deals. He noted that the Lebanese people have been achieving victories since 1975. He iterated that Lebanon is the land of dignity, martyrdom, coexistence, and love.

Source: News Agencies, translated and edited by moqawama.org