ISRAEL: Maronite communities in Israel look forward to the patriarch coming from Lebanon to join Pope Francis

Record ID: 398578

  • Title: ISRAEL: Maronite communities in Israel look forward to the patriarch coming from Lebanon to join Pope Francis
  • Date: 22nd May 2014
  • Summary: HAIFA, ISRAEL (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MARONITE CHURCH CHURCH BELLS ORNAMENTS AND POSTERS OUTSIDE CHURCH POSTER WITH THE PICTURE OF THE HEAD OF THE MARONITE CHURCH, PATRIARCH BESHARA AL-RAI, WHO IS VISITING ISRAEL AND WEST BANK ON MAY 25 EXTERIOR OF CHURCH PICTURE OF MARONITE PATRIARCH CHRISTIAN MARONITES IN ISRAEL PRAYING INSIDE CHURCH BISHOP YOUSEF YAQOUB LEADING
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA6DA1LD63QZWW60WN9JF8OFLLD
  • Story Text: Maronites in Israel are preparing for the first visit of their Lebanon-based patriarch, Beshara al-Rai, who has said he will join the pope on his May 24-26 tour of the Holy Land.
    Rai, a Catholic Cardinal, is the leading official in the Maronite church, which follows an Eastern rite of the Roman Catholic Church.
    Maronites number about 900,000 in Lebanon, around a quarter of the population, and have a presence in other countries in the region.
    Bishop Yousef Yaqoub, who leads the Sunday prayer in Haifa city, said that the Maronite community is overjoyed that Rai will visit them, the first visit of a Maronite Patriarch since 1948.

    "We are so happy that our patriarch is going to visit us. It is the feeling of the son when he meets his father. We are all happy that he is visiting us. Though there was a lot of pressure to cancel his visit but he insisted and he wants to visit and meet us," he said.
    Rai's visit promoted condemnation in many Lebanese media outlets close to Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement.
    Hezbollah fought an inconclusive war with Israel in 2006. Since then, border tensions sometimes flare into shelling or shooting.
    Rai has defended his planned visit, saying it is his duty to receive the pope if he comes to the region.
    Maronite Vira Farhat, says Rai's visit is very important.

    "It is a historical visit, it is an important visit. We are waiting for him. He is coming to check his people. He is very welcome," she said.
    Maronite Ameer Yaqoub said that the Catholic Cardinal's visit will promote peace in the region.

    "This is his first visit to meet us. This is a historical step. It calls for peace," he said.
    Israeli forces have invaded Lebanon several times since the Jewish state was formed in 1948, sending waves of Palestinians into exile in neighbouring countries.
    Some Lebanese Christians allied themselves with Israel in the past. Most of the personnel in the now-defunct South Lebanon Army (SLA), which helped Israeli occupation forces battle Hezbollah until they withdrew in 2000, were Maronites.
    Around 10,000 Maronites live in Israel, including 2,000 former SLA men and their families who fled there during the Lebanon withdrawal.
    Archbishop Moussa al-Hage, the senior Christian Maronite cleric in Israel, said that Rai's visit is not politically driven.

    "The visit of the pope, the cardinals and the heads of churches is not a political visit but it is a religious visit. They will give a service without discrimination between people, it is an assurance and confirmation of the historical (Christian) presence," he said.
    Rai will visit the West Bank and Israel on May 25 with Pope Francis, meet members of the Maronite community, and have a prayer service in the village of Kfor Burom.
    The Cardinal will meet with Lebanese Maronites who fled to Israel in 2000, after Israel withdrew from the Southern Lebanon.
    He will also visit the Maronite Church in Jaffa, Jerusalem, Beit Sahour, Haifa and Nazareth before leaving the region to Jordan on May 31.
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