During a sermon on Sunday, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi once again blasted Lebanese politicians’ selfishness and alluded to a suspicion that delays in the government formation are meant to obstruct the upcoming elections.
Lebanon’s political officials “act as if there are no people, state, system, institutions, economy, poverty, hunger, or unemployment,” said Al-Rahi, stating the reality as it currently is in the country.
He wondered if there was an intention not to hold parliamentary elections in May 2022 and presidential elections in October 2022 and if it was behind the “flimsy” reason officials are purposely not forming a government that would rescue the country.
“Perhaps there is an intention to overthrow Lebanon a hundred years after its formation of an independent state, as some believe that they are free to re-establish it,” he said, adding that Lebanese will never succumb to their turbulent reality or allow for Lebanon’s image to be distorted.
Al-Rahi’s comments come ahead of his trip to the Vatican upon the invitation of Pope Francis for a meeting with the leaders of Christian communities in Lebanon.
The invitation for that historical meeting aims to unite the Lebanese Christian leaders in working together to rescue their country by putting their political conflicts aside.