The Holy See, close to the sufferings of Lebanon

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States,

meets the members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See to share the experience of his recent trip to the Land of the Cedars

“It was a very meaningful experience, both in terms of the rhythm of the programme and for the intensity of the meetings: it enabled me to touch the reality of Lebanon”. The Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, thus descrived his recent trip to Lebanon, from 31 January to 4 February. The occasion was a meeting, in the Old Synod Hall in the Vatican, with the members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See.

The meeting was divided into three phases: a detailed account of the visit to the Land of the Cedars, the archbishop’s reflections on the most significant aspects, and an open dialogue with questions and answers.

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher brought the Holy Father's closeness and prayers to the varied mosaic of Lebanon, made up of 18 different religions, equally represented in the constitutional order. The Secretary for Relations with States also assured all those he met that a possible Apostolic Journey to the Land of the Cedars, a desire expressed several times by Pope Francis himself, is being evaluated, and will take place as soon as conditions permit, perhaps even within the year.

On today's liturgical feast of Saint Maron, Patron Saint of the Maronite Church, Msgr. Marco Formica, Official of the Section for Relations with States, also recalled that Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher's trip to Lebanon coincided with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Lebanon; the 25th anniversary of the Apostolic Journey of Saint John Paul II to the Asian country, accompanied by the signing of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "A New Hope for Lebanon"; and the 10th anniversary of the Apostolic Journey of Benedict XVI, culminating in the signing and publication of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops.

To Lebanon, afflicted by a painful political stalemate and an economic crisis that is impoverishing the population day after day, the Secretary for Relations with States brought a solid sign of closeness, and the plurality of meetings held was an expression of the desire to reach out to everyone. The trip's agenda included the highest offices of the State, from the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Michel Aoun, to the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berry, and from the Prime Minister, Najīb Mīqātī, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, the Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdel Latif DeryanAbdul Latif Derian, the Vice-President of the Shiite High Council, Sheikh Ali El Khatib Sheikh Alì Al Khalil, and the Sheikhat Akl of the Druze, Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi El Mouna Al Khalil. Sami Abi El MounaSheikh Sami Abi Al Mouna; as well as the Catholic and Orthodox Patriarchs and Bishops, including His Eminence Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M., Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, among others, also touched on the pain of the families of the victims of the port of Beirut, and their cry for justice and truth, with a moment of prayer at the site where the terrible explosion on 4 August 2020 claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed large parts of the capital.

The Secretary for Relations with States, addressing the ambassadors present, remarked that in Lebanon everyone has their own perspective, but there is no "consensus on the solutions to the problems" that afflict the country. It is clear that elections for the House of Representatives (Parliament) must be held in May, an "indispensable step" to restore stability to the country and stem the haemorrhaging of young people who leave in search of a better future. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher dedicated a special thought to the young people, after hearing their testimonies full of anguish and seeing how they are, however, witnesses of hope.

The symposium "Pope John Paul II and the Message-Lebanon", in the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, of the Lebanese Maronite Order, the meeting at the Jesuit Université Saint Joseph, the visit to the Caritas Migrant Reception Centre in the Shelter School and the visit to the Carlo Acutis Youth Centre of the Lazarists allowed the prelate to see how young Lebanese are a real asset to the country, but also a concern due to the existential uncertainty in which they are forced to live.

In order to help overcome the controversies, the Secretary for Relations with States finally reiterated that the Holy See is ready to participate in favour of an eventual national dialogue, on condition, however, that all the parties involved request this.

The situation of migrants and refugees, the concept of Lebanon's neutrality, interreligious dialogue and the dangerous disparity between rich and poor were among the topics touched on in the final part of the meeting in the old Synod Hall.