Al-Rahi from Iraq Criticizes Efforts to “Weaken” Christians in the East
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi criticized on Monday those who are seeking to “impoverish” Christians in the East, saying that the martyrs in Iraq are pledging for the help of the officials to safeguard stability and peace.
“Those who were martyred were a sacrifice for our beloved Iraq to implement peace, justice and stability,” al-Rahi said in a mass on the first anniversary of the attack on Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad.
The mass was headed by Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan.
Al-Rahi headed to Iraq on Monday on a two-day pastoral visit that will include talks with Iraqi officials.
He is expected to meet on Tuesday with Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi.
The patriarch returned Sunday to Beirut from Italy where he attended a council with world religious leaders in Assisi.
Militants had stormed the the Syriac Catholic church, killing 44 worshippers, two priests and seven security force personnel in an attack claimed by al-Qaida's local affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq.
Al-Rahi said earlier this week that he will discuss with Iraqi officials the fate of Christians there.
The Council of Maronite Bishops postponed its monthly meeting from Wednesday to Thursday over al-Rahi’s visit to Iraq.
over 12 years
Patriarch please stay in Iraq and take all your believers with you
over 12 years
Truly you are a man of peace. God bless the Patriach.
over 12 years
every cleric in this country has the same speech: they are victims!!!
chia think that the west want to weaken them, the sunnis that the chia wants to weaken them the christians that a plot is trying to weaken them...
ah! we are fed up with this propaganda that has been going on for decades...
you are just afraid that your personal power is weakened....so the money you steal from your sheep will weaken...
they are still having the same words datng back from the middle ages...
There has always been a connection between Assyria and Lebanon. Good on the Patriarch for going there.