Bechara Rai settles at the summer patriarchal residence in Diman

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai took up his summer quarters on Monday at the Diman residence, the summer seat of the patriarchate in northern Lebanon. He was accompanied by Archbishop Elias Nassar and media officer and lawyer Walid Ghayyad, according to L'Orient-Le Jour's correspondent in northern Lebanon.

Patriarch Rai was welcomed at the entrance of the residence by the patriarchal vicar general of Jebbeh, Monsignor Joseph al-Nefaa, the president of the union of municipalities of the Bsharri district, Elie Makhlouf, a representative of MP Sethrida Geagea, Geoffrey Tok, the patriarchal vicar of Diman, Tony al-Agha, Lieutenant Colonel Elie Zakaria, as well as other officials.

The patriarch recited a prayer of thanksgiving in the church, followed by a short pause in the residence's living room, during which Nefaa informed him about the situation of the parishes in the region. Makhlouf welcomed the patriarch on behalf of the region's municipal presidents and wished him "a blessed summer and a peaceful stay in the holy valley." He also mentioned "the suffering of municipal councils due to the deteriorating financial situation ... which is no longer enough to cover the cost of waste collection and pay employees' salaries." Makhlouf also informed the patriarch of the preparations for "the promising tourist season."