Pope congratulates Rai on 15th anniversary of his accession

BEIRUT — On the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation and the 15th anniversary of his accession as head of the Maronite Church, Pope Leo XIV sent his congratulations to Patriarch Bechara Rai.

"I extend my warmest congratulations and my most sincere wishes, and I assure you of my spiritual closeness and my accompaniment in prayer," wrote the Holy Father.

For his part, Patriarch Rai affirmed in his homily delivered Wednesday on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation, that "the Church, by virtue of its evangelical mission, cannot remain idle."

"We do not engage in politics, but we proclaim the principles of truth and justice. We do not compete with anyone for power, but we are committed to defending the human being and his dignity. The Church cannot neglect the poor, nor ignore the suffering that people are experiencing," he emphasized.

Msgr. Bechara Rai was elected in 2011 as the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, succeeding Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, who announced his resignation after leading the church for 25 years.