Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai began a tour of south Lebanon on Sunday and visited towns along the border with Israel amid heightened tensions in the region.
His first stop was at the Maronite Diocese of Tyre in the border village of Debel, in the Bint Jbeil district, where residents greeted him with ululations and showers of flower petals. Addressing the crowd, Rai reiterated his call for peace, saying, “No to war, yes to peace.” He added that “the responsibility for peace lies with citizens as much as it does with officials.”
Later, in the nearby town of al-Qouzah, the Patriarch noted that only 72 residents remain, holding on to the hope that their community will return to its former vibrancy. “This town must always live and resist to preserve its heritage, land and existence,” he said.
Rai condemned war as “destruction, devastation and displacement,” emphasizing that it harms all people without distinction. “That is why we pray for lasting and just peace for Lebanon,” he concluded.
From the town of Ain Ebel, Patriarch Rai expressed sorrow for the victims, describing them as “our brothers in humanity,” and stressed that “war has never been the solution.” He voiced hope that conflict “has gone without return.” Rai also visited the town of Rmeish, where he was welcomed by a crowd.
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