Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir
Sfeir: It is the duty of all Lebanese to defend their homeland
Lebnaon’s Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir urged the Christians to join the Lebanese army in order to maintain a good balance of power .
“It is the duty of all Lebanese to defend their homeland,” Sfeir said during his Sunday sermon.
“If you don’t defend your country, not one will ,” he cautioned.
New TV: Sfeir is not opposed to visiting Syria
New TV has reported that Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has declared that in principal he has no objection against visiting Syria specially that it has a large Maronite community . Earlier Bishop Rai said Sfeir has not received any invitation to visit Syria
Bishop Rai: Sfeir hasn’t received any invitation from Syria
The Syrian president Bashar al Assad complained the other day that he has not received any invitation to visit Lebanon and today Maronite Bishop of Jbeil Beshara Rai said that “the Syrians have not sent any invitation to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir to visit Damascus.”
“I hope relations between Lebanon and Syria follow the diplomatic path and that the previous chapter has ended,” added Rai in an interview with MTV network.
Commenting on the disputes within the Christian community Rai said:
“We want the Maronites to play their role … and we support diversity within unity, Lebanon is characterized by diversity within unity and it loses its value in absence of diversified opinions and visions,”
Rai said that Bkirki supports inter-Christian reconciliation but added “the dispute in Lebanon, which is being incited by foreign powers, is between the Sunnis and Shiites, “calling on everyone to avoid the slide toward civil strife.
Aoun- Geagea handshake makes history
Not since former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami shook hands with the former Israeli president Moshe Katsav at Pope John Paul II’s funeral in Rome in 2005 has a handshake attracted so much attention.
Following the end of the Christmas mass at Bkirki, FPM leader General Michel Aoun shook hands with Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and those standing next to him including Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea . The event attracted a lot of attention by the media .
The question is will this handshake result in the same backlash as the famous Khatami – Katsav handshake ? Both the Iranians and Israelis blasted their leaders for committing such a “crime” and Khatami in the end had to deny ever shaking hands calling the news another Zionist propaganda.
Sfeir urged the Lebanese citizens to be loyal to their nation
In his annual Christmas message, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Wednesday praised the “calm atmosphere” among the various sects in Lebanon, urging Lebanese citizens to be loyal to their nation.”Lebanon today is in greater need of this atmosphere of calm between the sects,” Sfeir said in his annual Christmas message.”People seem to be avoiding violence. This is a good thing and something we had hoped for a long time would happen ,” he said from Bkirki.”Loyalty to the nation requires every citizen to work for his homeland,” Sfeir added.
Hariri briefed Sfeir on his visits to Saudi Arabia, Denmark & Syria
Prime Minister Saad Hariri told reporters at Bkirki that he briefed Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir on his 3 visits to: Saudi Arabia, Denmark and Syria.
Sfeir: Lebanese should welcome Christmas with peace of mind
During his Sunday sermon in Bkirki, Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir thanked God for the calm in the country and hoped the holiday season would bring peace of mind to all the Lebanese.
He said that the Lebanese should welcome Christmas with an atmosphere of faith, spiritual happiness and peace of mind.
Baroud: Municipal elections in May 2010 as planned
Following his meeting with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in Bkirki, Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said the “the ministry is working as if the municipal election will take place as planned on May 2010,” adding that “postponing requires decisions by the parliament or the government.”
Baroud stressed the importance of implementation of Decentralization in the Administration
Sfeir: We hope this spirit of understanding will prevail
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir hailed on Sunday the spirit of understanding among the feuding political parties.
“Thank God the atmosphere in Lebanon has tilted toward understanding between the two feuding sides,” Sfeir said during his sermon. “We hope this (spirit of understanding) will continue and political leaders would pay attention to the poor,” he added.
Sfeir has always been critical about the growing divisions among the Lebanese politicians. On several occasions he accused the politicians of not paying any attention to the poor people of Lebanon
Lebanon Mufti: The equal Muslim-Christian powersharing should not be undermined
Grand Sunni Mufti of Lebanon Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani phoned Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir congratulating him on returning safely from his visit to the Vatican. The two religious leaders stressed during the phone call upon “the common national stances that guarantee Lebanon’s unity.”
The Mufti also told Sfeir that “the Taef Accord must be implemented in text and spirit upon the rule of consensus and that the equal Muslim-Christian powersharing should not be undermined under any condition,”
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