Vatican News
Lebanon appeals to the Holy See for help and protection, in order to preserve the presence of Christians in areas bordering Israel. The Christian population has suffered as a result of constant bombings and evacuation orders, which have led to a huge humanitarian crisis. Lebanon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Youssef Raggi, announced via social media that he had a phone conversation today with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations at the Secretariat of State. This conversation was also confirmed by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni.
Diplomatic efforts
Minister Raggi stated that he and Archbishop Gallagher “exchanged views on the latest developments in Lebanon and the difficult situation in the border villages in the south.” He added: “I appealed to the Holy See for intervention and mediation to preserve the presence of Christians in these villages, whose inhabitants have always supported the Lebanese state and its official military institutions and have never failed in this commitment.”
According to the Lebanese politician, Archbishop Gallagher “stated that the Holy See is taking all necessary diplomatic steps to stop the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon and prevent the displacement of its citizens from their land.” He also assured that “Lebanon has always been and continues to be present in the Pope’s prayers.”
Leo XIV in Beirut
Lebanon, alongside Turkey, became the destination of Leo XIV’s first international apostolic journey in December last year, during which the Pope, in numerous public appearances, addressed the issue of the declining number of Christians in Lebanon, home to the largest Christian community in the Middle East, composed mainly of Maronites, but also Greek Orthodox, Melkites, and Armenians. The Pope defined the endurance of Christians as a mission to build a “civilization of love and peace,” and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, welcoming the Pope to Beirut, stated: “If Christians in Lebanon disappeared, the fragile balance would collapse, and with it, justice.”
Closeness to the Middle East
Yesterday, the Pope offered condolences – published by the Holy See Press Office – for the events in the Middle East, and in particular for the many “innocent” victims, especially children, of the bombings. Among them was the Maronite priest, Father Pierre El Raii, killed yesterday in the town of Qlaya while trying to help one of his parishioners who was wounded in an attack on a house in the mountainous region of the parish.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin referred to this incident, stating that “the Church is also a victim of this situation and suffers with the population.” The Secretary of State of the Holy See emphasized the importance of diplomatic tools: “tools of word, reason, and wisdom,” which are not always accepted. “We do not have coercive means to impose our vision,” said Cardinal Parolin, assuring that the Holy See “emphasizes the fundamental principles that must govern civil and peaceful coexistence among nations.” Referring to the danger of the disappearance of the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the Middle East, Cardinal Parolin stated that this is a risk that the Holy See consistently condemns: “Certainly, war, destabilization, conflicts, and growing hatred do not favor the Christian presence, so this is all the more reason for concern.”
