In August 2020, an explosion at the port of Beirut plunged Lebanon into a political crisis from which it has yet to emerge. Since then, it has been unable to form a stable government, and the economic and health crises have created an extremely delicate situation in the country.
The Vatican is concerned about Lebanon's Christians, who are now leaving the last Middle Eastern country in which they had a significant presence.
ABP. PAUL RICHARD GALLAGHER
Vatican Secretary for Relations with States
“The Christian community is weakening, there is a risk that the internal balance in Lebanon itself will be destroyed, endangering the presence of Christians in the Middle East.”
Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher is one of the main organizers of a meeting that the Pope will hold on July 1 with the heads of the 10 Christian Churches in the country to strengthen collaboration in this delicate moment.
The Vatican explained that the religious leaders will stay in the Pope's residence. They will hold three long meetings behind closed doors. Each will begin and conclude with prayer in St. Peter's Basilica.
CARD. LEONARDO SANDRI
Prefect, Congregation for Oriental Churches
“It will not conclude with a written, concrete appeal, signed by all, but with a final speech by Pope Francis that I think can be considered as the conclusion of the meetings, the appeal of this day.”
ABP. BRIAN FARRELL, L.C.
Secretary, Pont. Cons. of Christian Unity
“It will be a moment of intense communion to face the great common challenge: to overcome every partisan vision in order to build the good of all and safeguard the specific vocation of Lebanon in the religious and social framework of the Middle East.”
The meeting is similar to the one the Pope held in 2018 with all the patriarchs and Christian leaders of the Middle East in Bari. A meeting that will also give the rest of the Christian world a better understanding of the fragile situation of Christians in Lebanon.
JMB
