The Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai received in Baabda by President Joseph Aoun, on April 2, 2025. (Credit: X/@LBpresidency)
Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai paid tribute to President Joseph Aoun, calling him the "father of the nation," during his Sunday homily at the patriarchal seat of Bkirki, in a mass the day after Father's Day, celebrated on June 21 in Lebanon, reports the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
The patriarch did not mention, during the mass, the American strikes on Iran the previous night. American forces struck the three main nuclear sites in Iran late Saturday night, and President Donald Trump warned Tehran that it would face even more devastating attacks if it did not consent to peace.
"On the national level, the president of the Republic, in the Lebanese consciousness and the soul of the people, is not only a political president, but the father of the nation," embodying "the unity of the country," "carrying the concerns of all" and "expressing common hope." "He is the foremost responsible for the unity of the entity, the protection of the Constitution and the vigilance for the good of all. He is a unifying national reference, a model to follow in terms of selflessness, justice, tolerance and paternal tenderness," stated the patriarch.
According to him, if the "political and administrative power" is "sincere and loyal," it "transforms the homeland into a great house that welcomes all its children, without discrimination or marginalization," he said, calling on all who "assume responsibility" to live their mission with "the spirit of a father—listening to the needs of his people, protecting the nation's children, watching over their future, and serving as an example through his behavior and advice." "For the homeland is only built with faithful hands, loving hearts and souls ready to serve, not to take advantage," he added.