President Joseph Aoun praised the Antonian Maronite Order, saying it follows in the footsteps of its patron, Saint Anthony the Great, known as the father of monasticism, and commended its dedicated service to both God and society.

He highlighted the order’s spiritual and cultural role, describing its monasteries as centers of prayer and learning, and its schools as educational institutions that have shaped generations of students and educators who, he said, lit Lebanon’s way through its darkest periods.

Aoun was speaking during a celebration at the Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in Hadath, Baabda, held to mark the saint’s feast day. The event included a solemn Mass celebrated by the order’s Superior General, Father Joseph Bou Raad, and concelebrated by Father Michel Khoury and Father Fadi Touq, head of the monastery and the Antonine Institute, with the participation of the monastery’s choir.