Al-Rahi’s Visit to the South: Warm Welcome and Praise for his Stances
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s second-day visit to the South on Sunday had political aspects whereby parties in the region made enthusiastic receptions for him and praised his stances.
Al-Rahi toured several villages and towns, arriving in Msayleh, where he met with Speaker Nabih Berri at his residence at the end of his three-day visit on Monday.
A luncheon banquet, which was attended by President Michel Suleiman, was thrown in his honor.
Al-Rahi kicked off the last day of his tour by a visit to Sayyidat al-Beshara Monastery in Rmeish.
His second day tour began Sunday in the Druze town of Bayyada in Hasbaya, where senior Druze clerics and representatives of major parties welcomed him. Addressing the crowds, the patriarch said: “I see in front of me a symbol of Lebanon.”
But the Bayyada stop was marred by a dispute that erupted after Sheikh Ghaleb al-Qays criticized the March 14 opposition parties that opposed al-Rahi’s latest stances from the situation in Syria and Hizbullah’s arms without naming them.
The criticism pushed Minister Wael Abou Faour, who is loyal to National Struggle Front bloc leader Walid Jumblat, to make another speech to appease the situation. He said al-Rahi’s visit was a continuation of the reconciliation process between the Druze and Christians in the Mountains.
A top Druze cleric, Fandi Jamal el-Din Shoujaa, also issued a statement rejecting al-Qays’ speech, saying it harmed the Druze sect.
In Nabatiyeh, Hizbullah officials praised al-Rahi. Among them was MP Mohammed Raad who expressed his “pride at the patriarch’s honest stances.”
At one point, Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, who is also Berri’s aide, described al-Rahi as the “Imam of patriarchs.”
During his tour, al-Rahi was also keen on stressing unity and urging rival factions to engage in national dialogue to save Lebanon. He also said Lebanon cannot overstep U.N. Security Council resolutions.
He said the warm welcome made him feel that he was “not the Maronite patriarch, but the patriarch of all Lebanese.”
over 12 years
And they rolled out the royal yellow carpet... (see pic)
His Holiness Nasrallah Sfeir remains my Batrak!
over 12 years
in no way accepting the de facto power of weapons is acceptable, rather it denote a coward who caved in. this is not Lebanon.
over 12 years
People wake up, Lebanese are very unique and they are the ancient people of the region. Lebanese know better than any zionist or radical terrorist to survive the region by living in peace with their neigbours and friends. Look the zionist hate each other in Israel and their long time allies the Turks and their brithers from different mothers the Palestinians, every thing is collapsing, while Lebanese maintain peace with every one.
The AlRahi is my Priest, my Imam and my Rabi
AlRahi is a model of the peacefull nation of Lebanon, not the Zionist of Israel or the radical terrorists who kills their fellow musloms
over 12 years
To our dear Batrak, do you really think that HIZBUSTAN will lay down their arms if Israel leaves all Occupied Lebanese lands tomorrow ? All Lebanese who think that are being Fooled. HIZBUSTAN'S Arms are being held over our heads to threaten us and to flex their muscles over all other Sects in Lebanon, and to simply carry out their "Basij" and "Shabbiha" Masters plans against us. Just look at the acts they have commited against Lebanon and its citizens in the past : Blocking downtown for 1 and 1/2 years. Stealing Electricity. Murdering many members of March 14 including the PM. Taking over Sunni areas and killing 100 innocent citizens. Sheltering all sorts of criminals and outlaws. Declaring Very Costly so called Liberation war against Israel.... and the list can go on. Another question to our Beloved Batrak : Aren't the HIZBUSTANS carrying out exactly the same tactics of Occupation, that they blame Israel of commiting, such as the Illegal Occupation of LASSA and other Christian areas ?
over 12 years
It's heartbreaking to see the last bastion of values bowing to the criminal terror.For how can you describe the attitude of the Patriarch? Siding with those who are cutting throats, pulling skins off, cutting and burning fingers, castrating young men , is beyond belief. At least Israelis kill cleanly. Syrians are after demonstrative symbolically punitive gestures. Their murders are meant to deter other civilians.their relatives too. So the lenght of prehuman horror they're prepared to display has got no boundaries.What do you do my dear Patriarch when the murderer is stronger than the police? Do you pactise with the murderer and his allies under the unity and coexistence slogans?
over 12 years
i'm eager to see batrak rahi visiting some place outside hizb and amal zone of influence....he didnt even attend the christians martyr event in jounieh.
god bless THE CARDINAL OF BILAD EL ARZ.
over 12 years
and than they denie that they come from zionist entity..just read the "will rogers" post...full of sectarian hate...lies...again portaying the south lebanese as persians....that's the signature of zionist information war department.
over 12 years
mowaten...don't even argue with the zionist information war department
there is no arguments for them....just obsession, hate and fear and they just keep repeating the old cliches..."hizbuhistan" "militia" "syrian iran syria iran syria iran syria iran syria iran syria" than spitting on shia in general, while not knowing lebanese geography (marie), and not NEVER EVER saying bad anything zionist entity (except lately, some of those say zionist colaborate with our resistance, what a lunacy)
just label them what they are...they are filthy zionist militia informationa war department , domestic traitor and maybe even some lebanese blinded with sectrian hate...and perhaps some halucinating fool that live in pre-civil war area.
just label them for what they are and move on.
over 12 years
aragon I confirm your info, this is the secret, I didnt want to say it before as I still have respect for his position but that is the truth not less not more...
over 12 years
Mowaten how do u then explain the sudden change in Al Rahy's views??? for Jumblat we all know "koumsan el soud" but what about this guy he was openily agains hizbullah and suddenly everything changes, you should be a 4 yr old kid to beleive only what you watch on TV and read in the news my friend this is only a small parts of what's really happening behind the scenes!!
over 12 years
indeed aragon mine is coming from the press which mean we have two different sources and that help confirm the rumour, as for mowaten its good he's trying to analyse which is something positive although he is on the wrong track, in lebanese politics no matter how much you analyse if you dont know what's really happening behind the scenes you know nothing we are living in a very dirty world and that was what patriarche Sfeir tried to say on the LF mess when he said "Zaman Radii2"
over 12 years
Well aragon and zoro I heard a year and a half ago the story you are mentioning. And we all laughed about it when he was elected and dismissed it as nonsense. But now his behaviour calls for reviewing our position on this rumour and giving it more credentials. But if I had heard it, had no one ever whistled it tO any of tje arshbishop electing him?? And even then if it were true , wouldn't he have resigned to save the church's position from any of his wrongdoings?? Dunno........
over 12 years
we are Arabs, and not iranians.
hizbullah and their followers should go back to iran and leave us in peace.
over 12 years
To Trueself,
Winston Churchill once said " An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last"
over 12 years
Hello Folks,
The Maronite Church had always two main visionary streams
The first one was described as the hardcore, revolting and extreme stream that always referred to Christians as oppressed and freedom fighter. Naturally this movement isolated the Maronite and some of the main speaker clearly called for the creation of two religious states a Jewish one in Palestine and a Maronite one in Lebanon…
The second one is simply saying we are main component of this orient our future depends our openness and collaboration with our brothers from different religion. This vision will make the Lebanese Church an epicenter for all the Christians in the region.. At the end of the day no one can criticize the peaceful preaching of the church…
History reveals that the first stream was a total failure project that led to disintegration of the Lebanese Christians e.g The Lebanese Civil war…Another example of the extremism is creating a mythical red diagonally cut cross…
over 12 years
The Second stream that is based on true Christian values e.g Love, openness and peacefulness has proven its success. For instance Christian Arabs are the one who revived the Arabic culture and literature…..
My Friends what are we witnessing now is a struggle between the two streams where I believe the stream of honesty, peace and love will prevail over the of some blindfolded fanatics…
In conclusion i have high admiration to Mr Al Rahi the Patriarch of all the Lebanese and Arab Christians A
MrBrain
over 12 years
It is simply al-Rahi trying to make a name for himself and become his own legend. His ambition to be an historic figure in Lebanon is driving his actions. The first step in acheiving this is to differentiate yourself from your predecessor... "Never walk in the shadows of a great man" or so they say..
Unfortunately, his predecessor was on the right path...
I would not have expected this from a Batrak...
over 12 years
To mrbrain you are absolutely rigth in your description of the 2 chistians streams in Lebanon, but the question is now on which stream Al-Rahi really is? if he is on the open one which accepts the other how can he describe the Sunnis who are the majority of the muslims in the region as dangerous and fanatics??? so yes you're rigth we have 2 streams in Lebanese christianity but your friend Al-Rahy is definetly not on the rigth one!
Let's be the devil's advocate. It's a treality that Hizbullah has become a potent force in lebanon that no could get rid of, let alone deminish its power and clout. The Patrak has realised this and is acting in a way that would solidify unity amongst the lebanese people. Some might disagree with him, but I do sense a high level of maturity in his stance. Until when are we going to be against each other in this country. Yes, Huzbullah has arms more than the army, but we have to deal with this not confrontationally and angrily because this would weaken our plight and put us in a dire position. The Patrak has realised this and is acting accordingly. I hope he ultimately succeeds in this. Our best bet should be the well being of our country. The Patrak has lived through all the lebanese troubles and know best what's in our interest. God bless him.