The Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai. (Credit: NNA)
On the occasion of St. Maron's Day, the Lebanese Patriarch Bechara Rai said Thursday that Maronites reject "isolation and small interests," in an apparent criticism of Lebanese Maronite leaders who have thus far failed to agree on a presidential candidate.
The Lebanese presidency is a position traditionally reserved for Maronites. The current election has been at a standstill since the end of former president Michel Aoun's term on Oct. 31.
In 11 subsequent parliamentary presidential elections sessions, MPs repeatedly failed to elect a new president.
Rai's traditional mass of St. Maron was not attended by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati or Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Last year, Michel Aoun, Mikati and Berri all attended the celebration in downtown Beirut.
'Returning to our Maronite identity'
"St. Maron's Day calls us to return to our Maronite identity that refuses isolation and small interests," Rai said on the occasion of the celebration of this hermit and Syriac priest who lived between the fourth and fifth centuries in the region of Antioch and founding model of the Maronite Church, born several centuries later. "It is an identity of openness, civility and faith," he continued, in remarks reported by the National News Agency.
Faced with the presidential election deadlock, Rai has been working with Christian forces to try to find a solution.
The Lebanese Forces continue to favor the election of Zghorta MP Michel Moawad, but the Free Patriotic Movement — along with Hezbollah and its allies — is strongly opposed to Moawad but has not been able to gather votes around another name.
Thursday, Gebran Bassil, head of the FMP and considered to be an unofficial candidate, said that the presidential election "is a national election, not only Christian or Maronite" and defended the idea of a "consensus" candidate.
Condolences after the earthquake
During his homily in Bkirki, the seat of the patriarchate, Archbishop Rai also offered his condolences to the relatives of the victims of the destructive earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria and left more than 17,500 dead, according to the latest provisional toll.
At least six Lebanese citizens are among the victims.
Archbishop Rai also "thanked God for protecting Lebanon and the Lebanese from this disaster," the NNA added, as powerful tremors were felt throughout Lebanon, causing some material damage and great fear among the population.
Teams of Lebanese rescue workers were sent to Turkey and Syria to assist local teams. A ministerial delegation traveled to Damascus on Wednesday, where it was received by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
