During his Sunday homily at the patriarchal see in Bkerke, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rahi called for Lebanon to be kept out of another war, stressing that the country cannot afford further conflict.
Amid regional tensions and the possibility of escalation, Rahi said safeguarding Lebanon from wars that go beyond its borders and the interests of its people had become a major national responsibility.
"Lebanese people cannot withstand another war. They say yes to peace," he said, calling for peace that protects human dignity and national sovereignty while rejecting war that brings only destruction, displacement and tragedy.
He stressed that decisions of war and peace must remain a national responsibility and cannot be subject to multiple decision-making authorities, adding that the fate of the Lebanese people must not be determined by fragmented decisions.
Rahi also called for unified decision-making and for weapons to be placed exclusively under the authority of the state and its legitimate institutions, describing these as essential pillars of sovereignty, stability and national security.
Addressing border security and domestic stability, he warned against repeated attempts to smuggle weapons, citing the truck incident in Dahr al-Baydar, and said such activities threaten civil peace, public safety and national security.
He also expressed concern over the growing purchase of land through brokers exploiting the country’s difficult economic conditions, urging Lebanese citizens to preserve their land, which he described as an essential component of the country’s historical, social and political identity.
On the economic front, Rahi said tackling rising living costs remained an urgent priority, pointing to increasing prices of goods and services, mounting pressure on salaries and purchasing power, and the growing burden of taxes and fees.
"The state is measured by the services, justice and protection it provides to citizens, not merely by what it collects from them," he said, stressing that citizens should not always be the ones bearing the cost of the country’s difficulties.
Concluding his remarks, Rahi said Lebanon needed a solid foundation built on one law, unified decisions on matters of national importance, protected borders, functioning institutions and justice for all citizens.
He added that sovereignty cannot be divided, institutions cannot function through exceptions, and serving people must never become a secondary priority in the life of the state.
Amid regional tensions and the possibility of escalation, Rahi said safeguarding Lebanon from wars that go beyond its borders and the interests of its people had become a major national responsibility.
"Lebanese people cannot withstand another war. They say yes to peace," he said, calling for peace that protects human dignity and national sovereignty while rejecting war that brings only destruction, displacement and tragedy.
He stressed that decisions of war and peace must remain a national responsibility and cannot be subject to multiple decision-making authorities, adding that the fate of the Lebanese people must not be determined by fragmented decisions.
Rahi also called for unified decision-making and for weapons to be placed exclusively under the authority of the state and its legitimate institutions, describing these as essential pillars of sovereignty, stability and national security.
Addressing border security and domestic stability, he warned against repeated attempts to smuggle weapons, citing the truck incident in Dahr al-Baydar, and said such activities threaten civil peace, public safety and national security.
He also expressed concern over the growing purchase of land through brokers exploiting the country’s difficult economic conditions, urging Lebanese citizens to preserve their land, which he described as an essential component of the country’s historical, social and political identity.
On the economic front, Rahi said tackling rising living costs remained an urgent priority, pointing to increasing prices of goods and services, mounting pressure on salaries and purchasing power, and the growing burden of taxes and fees.
"The state is measured by the services, justice and protection it provides to citizens, not merely by what it collects from them," he said, stressing that citizens should not always be the ones bearing the cost of the country’s difficulties.
Concluding his remarks, Rahi said Lebanon needed a solid foundation built on one law, unified decisions on matters of national importance, protected borders, functioning institutions and justice for all citizens.
He added that sovereignty cannot be divided, institutions cannot function through exceptions, and serving people must never become a secondary priority in the life of the state.
