Lebanon's Maronite Catholic Bishops Call on the International Community for a Ceasefire Implementing UN Resolution 1701

Maronite Bishops: in the face of aggression suffered by Lebanon, the international community "should assume its responsibilities"
Agenzia Fides excerpt - The Maronite Bishops, gathered in the monthly assembly presided over by Patriarch Béchara Boutros Pierre Raï, express "their pain in the face of the horror of the disaster that has hit Lebanon, from the coast to the mountains, with destruction that has often affected innocent civilians" but also the reproach of "the prolonged Israeli aggression, which has caused hundreds of martyrs and victims, including the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Syed Hassan Nasrallah, and many other leaders of the Shiite movement".

The Bishops "ask God for mercy for those who were killed and comfort and consolation for their families and for the wounded". At the same time, they turn to the international community asking it to “assume its responsibilities by working for an immediate ceasefire and implementing international decisions” with a specific reference to UN Resolution number 1701.

FULL TEXT On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, Their Eminences the Maronite Bishops held their monthly meeting in Bkerke, chaired by His Beatitude and Eminence Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, with the participation of the Superiors General of the Maronite Orders. They discussed ecclesiastical and national affairs. At the end of the meeting, they issued the following statement:

1- The Fathers stand in astonishment and great pain before the horror of the catastrophe that befell Lebanon as a result of the violation of its lands in the south, the coast, the mountains and the Bekaa, and this relentless torrent of killing, sabotage and destruction that often struck innocent civilians. While condemning the continued Israeli aggression, which has left hundreds of martyrs and victims, especially the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and a group of his senior aides, they ask God to have mercy on Lebanon and have mercy on those who have departed to its homeland and to heal the wounded, and they demand that the international community assume its responsibilities by working to immediately cease fire and implement international resolutions, especially Resolution 1701, and to relieve the country and its people from the scourge of regional and international conflicts that have mortgaged it to interests that have no connection to it. 2- The fathers see that it is urgently necessary for the Parliament to take the initiative to carry out its national duty after a long wait and much suffering, so that a new president of the republic is elected to complete the constitutional institutions. Lebanon faces fateful challenges that it must face with real national solidarity and strict adherence to its constitutional and charter texts, which have protected it from falling in times of hardship, and have made its sovereign, free and consensual decision the source of its salvation always.

3- The fathers appreciate the readiness and efforts made by the official authorities and the medical sector to receive the displaced and treat the wounded despite the stifling economic conditions, and they salute the spontaneous, sincere and loving popular positions taken by the people of the areas outside the scene of events, by receiving their displaced people away from the machine of death. They appeal to countries and international institutions to support these official and popular efforts working to mitigate the effects of displacement until a dignified and safe return is achieved to the areas burned today by the fire of blind violence.

4- The Church stands by its wounded people, especially the displaced, through its dioceses, monasteries and institutions, especially through Caritas Lebanon, which is the Church’s arm in the service of love.

5- The fathers express their satisfaction with the honorable national stance taken by the army leadership through field measures aimed at controlling any potential chaos due to the exceptional and delicate circumstances that the country is going through. They hope that the citizens will respond to it, as well as the various security institutions mobilized for this purpose.

6- In the face of the tragedy that is sweeping Lebanon, the fathers call on all Lebanese to awaken their consciences to increase the elements of their unity and their longing for salvation by rallying around their one state and managing their affairs in a way that rises to the level of pure patriotism that views Lebanon as an indispensable homeland, and they have the duty to preserve its role and mission and work accordingly.

7- The fathers thank God for the new sign of hope in these difficult circumstances, represented by the announcement of the sanctity of the blessed martyrs, the brothers of the Masabki, in the Vatican on Sunday, October 20, and they call on the faithful to accompany this event with prayer and contemplation of the virtues of the Masabki who remained steadfast in their faith and bore witness to the Lord Christ until martyrdom.

8- In this month dedicated to honoring the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, the fathers address their sons and daughters and those of good will among the Lebanese, asking them to intensify their prayers for Lebanon to emerge from its growing ordeal and to return its safe, generous and free presence to the eastern and global scope. (Sources: Official Maronite FB Page and  Agenzia Fides, 2/10/2024)