National News Agency
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, concluded his visit to the Holy See and returned on Wednesday morning to Beirut.
The President concluded his visit yesterday evening by attending a mass for Lebanon in the Saint Charbel Monastery of the Lebanese Maronite Order in the Italian capital, Rome.
The mass was celebrated by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, head of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches in the Holy See, who stressed that "The land of cedar has made a gift to the city of Rome and to the Church in it, through that light that crowns the testimony of Saint Charbel's life, as has happened so far in various parts of the world".
"The people of God find themselves voluntarily drawn to this radical saint monk's connection to God, in a way that is full of transparency, so that he feels that he is his friend, brother, and father, just as it is the case with Saint Rafqa, whose memory we celebrate liturgically tomorrow," Cardinal Sandri said.
"On this particular evening, and through the presence of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, among us, the believers present with us in this church are united in raising their prayers to the Lord for the sake of Lebanon, in order to remain faithful to its identity among the various countries of the Middle East. We especially pray so that Lebanon gets out of the serious economic and social crisis that has hit it for a while, and whose danger was compounded by the repercussions resulting from the explosion of the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020," Cardinal Sandri added.
"Lebanon remains, before anything else, guarded by Holy Mary, especially through the shrines and churches dedicated to her name, as well as through her raised statues as a sign of sensual presence for her care as our mother. I am confident that it is in Harissa, Maghdouche, Zahle and in many other places, the faithful men and women of the sons of Lebanon will unite with the Holy Father," Sandri concluded.
President Aoun had arrived at the monastery headquarters in Rome, near the Basilica of St. John Lateran, around six in the evening, where he was received at his entrance by: Abbot Nimatallah Al-Hashem, the General Head of the Lebanese Maronite Order, the Secretary of the Order, Father Michel Abu Taqa, and the Patriarchal Vicar of the Maronite Church, Archbishop Yohanna Rafeeq Al-Warsha, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Catholic Church, Archbishop Flapianos Rami Kablan, Patriarchal Vicar of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church Archimandrite Shehadeh Abboud, Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Catholic Church, Monsignor Narek Naomo, Vicar of the Lebanese Maronite Congregation in Rome Father Milad Tarabay, and Procurator of the Order in Rome, Father Anthony Maroun, the representative of the Marian Order in Rome, Father Charbel Haddad, the representative of the Basilian Congregational Saviour, Father Antoine Saad, the representative of the Association of Lebanese Maronite Missionaries, the public prosecutor at the Roman Rota Court, Father Anthony Chouifati, and the representative of the Pontifical Institute Joseph Sakr.
A comprehensive meeting was held with the audience, after which the President entered the Church of the Kind Mother again to participate in the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Cardinal Sandri, amid the applause of the audience from officials and members of the Lebanese community.
And then the liturgy began.
The mass was attended by President Aoun, the Lebanese delegation accompanying him, Director General of General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, Lebanon's Ambassador to the Holy See, Dr. Farid Elias El-Khazen, Lebanon's Ambassador to Italy, Mira Daher, Lebanon's Consul in Florence Charbel Shbeir and political and diplomatic figures.
After the Holy Bible was read, Cardinal Sandri delivered the following sermon:
"The monthly celebration that we hold in honor of Saint Charbel still bears witness to the influx of many believers to this church, thanks to which it became a spiritual lung for the city of Rome, where believers find in this monastery belonging to the Lebanese Maronite Order a place where they nourish their path of faith, through prayer and celebration of the holy mysteries. And the richness of graces granted by the Lord through the intercession of one of the most prominent sons of Lebanon and the Maronite Church. This matter leads us to recognize that the land of cedars made a gift to the city of Rome and to the Church in it, through that light that crowns the testimony of the life of St. Charbel, as has happened so far in various parts of the world.
The people of God find themselves voluntarily drawn to this holy monk's radical connection with God, in a transparent manner, so that he is his friend, brother, and father, just as it is the case with Saint Rafqa, whose memory we commemorate liturgically tomorrow: this is how Saint Charbel, who belongs entirely to God, gives everyone the feeling that he is close to the community of believers.
And on this particular evening, and through the presence of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, among us, the believers present with us in this church are united in raising their prayers to the Lord for the sake of Lebanon, in order to remain faithful to its identity among the various countries of the Middle East, especially for the sake of emerging from the serious economic and social crisis that has been hitting it for some time, and the repercussions of the explosion of the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020.
"We are all called to be apostles of Saint Charbel, following above all his example in listening to the word of the Lord, especially that which the liturgy brings to us on this day, thus nourishing our journey towards the glorious Easter, enlightening our hearts in its search for God.
The first word that we heard is from the book of the prophet Daniel, which mentions the deep supplication of the young Azariah, for his brothers who were persecuted by King Nebuchadnezzar with the aim of forcing them to deny their faithfulness to the Lord, and to offer them worship to the statue installed in the name of the king. Azariah is innocent of the sin of the people, and he who remained faithful to the Lord called him to the mercy of his people, taking upon him the sin of all. Thus, the denial of the faith pushed the people of Israel through the ages to lose their identity, and made them forever in a search for safety through alliance with the various tyrants of that era, with Egypt on one side, Assyria on one side, and Babylon on the other. The result was the collapse of the dream of glory in the human way, in addition to the destruction of the temple and the captivity of the people.
Today, as a result of the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, and in the face of the endless tragedy of barbarism in Ukraine for several weeks, we may feel more than ever, Azaria's words, which may be a reminder of the state of our beloved Lebanon today: "We have become the youngest among the nations of the earth, and now all the earth is offended because of our sin... Do not neglect it for the sake of that love we have for your name, and do not disavow the oath that exists between us, and do not forsake your mercy from us. Here we are, at this hour, walking towards you with all our heart, looking for your face".
The season of Lent invites us to make a profound examination of conscience, each of us toward his calling: Who are we before God? Are we faithful to our call? Do we realize that there is nothing greater than our service in the heart of the Church and society, which is based on the responsibility that we raise before the eyes of God and men in devoting it to the service of all, especially the little ones among us and those who are the poorest?
The Gospel itself puts us at the center of this dimension: by Peter's question to Christ how many times I must forgive, what teaches us the realistic picture of Christians who are made up of weak individuals in terms of their constant need for the mercy of the Lord, and more than individuals who suffer divisions, and are capable of harm in everyday relations, and consequently need to reconcile each other. The answer of Christ to Peter, which has become self-evident: "Not seven times, but seventy times seven," and accompanied by the proverb we have heard, requires us to acknowledge the great and free love of the Lord, through which God loved and forgave us. And if we realize this every day, we will then be able to consolidate true just relations towards each other and build a just society," Cardinal Sandri said.
"And if we do the opposite, we will only contribute to the multiplication of confrontation and disagreements: the tragedy, at which the Lord will ask us, will be what happens within the Christian community, not only in Lebanon, but the most dangerous thing is that the beacon raised on a mountain and which is required to shine in the darkness, becomes then a sign of confusion and blindness to other sisters and brothers in humanity.
In the night of stoking the misunderstanding of one another in the fraternity, and the misery of humanity due to sin, Saint Charbel kept the flame of the Lord lit, illuminating it with the oil of prayer, and by offering and sacrificing himself. He is today and always helps us to follow in his footsteps," Sandri added.
"Lebanon remains, before anything else, guarded by Mary, the Most Holy, especially through the shrines and churches dedicated to her name, as well as through her raised statues as a sign of sensual presence for her care as our mother. I am confident that it is in Harissa, Maghdouche, Zahle and in many other places, the faithful men and women of the sons of Lebanon will unite with the Holy Father in the absence of the act of consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Most Holy Heart of Mary. And if there is a suffering people, like the Lebanese people, knows how to offer their prayers for another suffering people, then the Lord will surely pour out his grace on those who supplicate to Him, because they have proven themselves to be brothers in pain, and will remain more brothers in peace and reconciliation which we hope will come quickly. Amen," Sandri concluded.
President Aoun had written in the monastery's honor register the following word:
"From the highest peak in Lebanon and the East, Charbel carried His Holiness to the heart of the capital of Catholicism, which reverently rests on the legacy of the apostles and the testimony of the first martyrs.
My prayer is that the presence of the saint of Lebanon, in the heart of Rome, be an act of renewed faith in Lebanon, the heart of God, as mentioned in the Bible, so that he will remain the best intercessor for Lebanon wherever his blessing befalls.
May his grace be poured upon this monastery, so that it rises, despite the difficulties, as a beacon of spiritual and cultural radiance in the name of Lebanon, the homeland of mission and presence".
A retreat was also held between President Aoun and Cardinal Sandri, during which Sandri briefed the President on his recent visit to Syria, as delegated by Pope Francis, where he presided over a conference to discuss ways to help the Syrian people in the difficult circumstances they are going through.
The retreat was an occasion in which President Aoun renewed the Lebanese thanks to Pope Francis for his constant interest in Lebanon, and presented to Cardinal Sandri the results of his meeting with the Supreme Pontiff and his meetings with senior officials in the Holy See.
The mass was followed by a dinner hosted by Abbot Al-Hashem in honor of President Aoun and the accompanying delegation, in the presence of Cardinal Sandri.
The President concluded his visit yesterday evening by attending a mass for Lebanon in the Saint Charbel Monastery of the Lebanese Maronite Order in the Italian capital, Rome.
The mass was celebrated by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, head of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches in the Holy See, who stressed that "The land of cedar has made a gift to the city of Rome and to the Church in it, through that light that crowns the testimony of Saint Charbel's life, as has happened so far in various parts of the world".
"The people of God find themselves voluntarily drawn to this radical saint monk's connection to God, in a way that is full of transparency, so that he feels that he is his friend, brother, and father, just as it is the case with Saint Rafqa, whose memory we celebrate liturgically tomorrow," Cardinal Sandri said.
"On this particular evening, and through the presence of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, among us, the believers present with us in this church are united in raising their prayers to the Lord for the sake of Lebanon, in order to remain faithful to its identity among the various countries of the Middle East. We especially pray so that Lebanon gets out of the serious economic and social crisis that has hit it for a while, and whose danger was compounded by the repercussions resulting from the explosion of the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020," Cardinal Sandri added.
"Lebanon remains, before anything else, guarded by Holy Mary, especially through the shrines and churches dedicated to her name, as well as through her raised statues as a sign of sensual presence for her care as our mother. I am confident that it is in Harissa, Maghdouche, Zahle and in many other places, the faithful men and women of the sons of Lebanon will unite with the Holy Father," Sandri concluded.
President Aoun had arrived at the monastery headquarters in Rome, near the Basilica of St. John Lateran, around six in the evening, where he was received at his entrance by: Abbot Nimatallah Al-Hashem, the General Head of the Lebanese Maronite Order, the Secretary of the Order, Father Michel Abu Taqa, and the Patriarchal Vicar of the Maronite Church, Archbishop Yohanna Rafeeq Al-Warsha, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Catholic Church, Archbishop Flapianos Rami Kablan, Patriarchal Vicar of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church Archimandrite Shehadeh Abboud, Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Catholic Church, Monsignor Narek Naomo, Vicar of the Lebanese Maronite Congregation in Rome Father Milad Tarabay, and Procurator of the Order in Rome, Father Anthony Maroun, the representative of the Marian Order in Rome, Father Charbel Haddad, the representative of the Basilian Congregational Saviour, Father Antoine Saad, the representative of the Association of Lebanese Maronite Missionaries, the public prosecutor at the Roman Rota Court, Father Anthony Chouifati, and the representative of the Pontifical Institute Joseph Sakr.
A comprehensive meeting was held with the audience, after which the President entered the Church of the Kind Mother again to participate in the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Cardinal Sandri, amid the applause of the audience from officials and members of the Lebanese community.
And then the liturgy began.
The mass was attended by President Aoun, the Lebanese delegation accompanying him, Director General of General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, Lebanon's Ambassador to the Holy See, Dr. Farid Elias El-Khazen, Lebanon's Ambassador to Italy, Mira Daher, Lebanon's Consul in Florence Charbel Shbeir and political and diplomatic figures.
After the Holy Bible was read, Cardinal Sandri delivered the following sermon:
"The monthly celebration that we hold in honor of Saint Charbel still bears witness to the influx of many believers to this church, thanks to which it became a spiritual lung for the city of Rome, where believers find in this monastery belonging to the Lebanese Maronite Order a place where they nourish their path of faith, through prayer and celebration of the holy mysteries. And the richness of graces granted by the Lord through the intercession of one of the most prominent sons of Lebanon and the Maronite Church. This matter leads us to recognize that the land of cedars made a gift to the city of Rome and to the Church in it, through that light that crowns the testimony of the life of St. Charbel, as has happened so far in various parts of the world.
The people of God find themselves voluntarily drawn to this holy monk's radical connection with God, in a transparent manner, so that he is his friend, brother, and father, just as it is the case with Saint Rafqa, whose memory we commemorate liturgically tomorrow: this is how Saint Charbel, who belongs entirely to God, gives everyone the feeling that he is close to the community of believers.
And on this particular evening, and through the presence of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, among us, the believers present with us in this church are united in raising their prayers to the Lord for the sake of Lebanon, in order to remain faithful to its identity among the various countries of the Middle East, especially for the sake of emerging from the serious economic and social crisis that has been hitting it for some time, and the repercussions of the explosion of the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020.
"We are all called to be apostles of Saint Charbel, following above all his example in listening to the word of the Lord, especially that which the liturgy brings to us on this day, thus nourishing our journey towards the glorious Easter, enlightening our hearts in its search for God.
The first word that we heard is from the book of the prophet Daniel, which mentions the deep supplication of the young Azariah, for his brothers who were persecuted by King Nebuchadnezzar with the aim of forcing them to deny their faithfulness to the Lord, and to offer them worship to the statue installed in the name of the king. Azariah is innocent of the sin of the people, and he who remained faithful to the Lord called him to the mercy of his people, taking upon him the sin of all. Thus, the denial of the faith pushed the people of Israel through the ages to lose their identity, and made them forever in a search for safety through alliance with the various tyrants of that era, with Egypt on one side, Assyria on one side, and Babylon on the other. The result was the collapse of the dream of glory in the human way, in addition to the destruction of the temple and the captivity of the people.
Today, as a result of the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, and in the face of the endless tragedy of barbarism in Ukraine for several weeks, we may feel more than ever, Azaria's words, which may be a reminder of the state of our beloved Lebanon today: "We have become the youngest among the nations of the earth, and now all the earth is offended because of our sin... Do not neglect it for the sake of that love we have for your name, and do not disavow the oath that exists between us, and do not forsake your mercy from us. Here we are, at this hour, walking towards you with all our heart, looking for your face".
The season of Lent invites us to make a profound examination of conscience, each of us toward his calling: Who are we before God? Are we faithful to our call? Do we realize that there is nothing greater than our service in the heart of the Church and society, which is based on the responsibility that we raise before the eyes of God and men in devoting it to the service of all, especially the little ones among us and those who are the poorest?
The Gospel itself puts us at the center of this dimension: by Peter's question to Christ how many times I must forgive, what teaches us the realistic picture of Christians who are made up of weak individuals in terms of their constant need for the mercy of the Lord, and more than individuals who suffer divisions, and are capable of harm in everyday relations, and consequently need to reconcile each other. The answer of Christ to Peter, which has become self-evident: "Not seven times, but seventy times seven," and accompanied by the proverb we have heard, requires us to acknowledge the great and free love of the Lord, through which God loved and forgave us. And if we realize this every day, we will then be able to consolidate true just relations towards each other and build a just society," Cardinal Sandri said.
"And if we do the opposite, we will only contribute to the multiplication of confrontation and disagreements: the tragedy, at which the Lord will ask us, will be what happens within the Christian community, not only in Lebanon, but the most dangerous thing is that the beacon raised on a mountain and which is required to shine in the darkness, becomes then a sign of confusion and blindness to other sisters and brothers in humanity.
In the night of stoking the misunderstanding of one another in the fraternity, and the misery of humanity due to sin, Saint Charbel kept the flame of the Lord lit, illuminating it with the oil of prayer, and by offering and sacrificing himself. He is today and always helps us to follow in his footsteps," Sandri added.
"Lebanon remains, before anything else, guarded by Mary, the Most Holy, especially through the shrines and churches dedicated to her name, as well as through her raised statues as a sign of sensual presence for her care as our mother. I am confident that it is in Harissa, Maghdouche, Zahle and in many other places, the faithful men and women of the sons of Lebanon will unite with the Holy Father in the absence of the act of consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Most Holy Heart of Mary. And if there is a suffering people, like the Lebanese people, knows how to offer their prayers for another suffering people, then the Lord will surely pour out his grace on those who supplicate to Him, because they have proven themselves to be brothers in pain, and will remain more brothers in peace and reconciliation which we hope will come quickly. Amen," Sandri concluded.
President Aoun had written in the monastery's honor register the following word:
"From the highest peak in Lebanon and the East, Charbel carried His Holiness to the heart of the capital of Catholicism, which reverently rests on the legacy of the apostles and the testimony of the first martyrs.
My prayer is that the presence of the saint of Lebanon, in the heart of Rome, be an act of renewed faith in Lebanon, the heart of God, as mentioned in the Bible, so that he will remain the best intercessor for Lebanon wherever his blessing befalls.
May his grace be poured upon this monastery, so that it rises, despite the difficulties, as a beacon of spiritual and cultural radiance in the name of Lebanon, the homeland of mission and presence".
A retreat was also held between President Aoun and Cardinal Sandri, during which Sandri briefed the President on his recent visit to Syria, as delegated by Pope Francis, where he presided over a conference to discuss ways to help the Syrian people in the difficult circumstances they are going through.
The retreat was an occasion in which President Aoun renewed the Lebanese thanks to Pope Francis for his constant interest in Lebanon, and presented to Cardinal Sandri the results of his meeting with the Supreme Pontiff and his meetings with senior officials in the Holy See.
The mass was followed by a dinner hosted by Abbot Al-Hashem in honor of President Aoun and the accompanying delegation, in the presence of Cardinal Sandri.
