Al-Rahi: Lebanon needs a lasting peace

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi presided over Sunday Mass at the Church of Our Lady in the patriarchal seat in Bkerke, where he stressed that Lebanon needs a lasting peace and must not remain hostage to the prospect of a new war whenever the region ignites, underlining the importance of keeping Lebanon out of axis conflicts and wars. He criticized failures in the electricity file, waste management and food safety, and called for reform that restores order to institutions, the authority of the law, and a full investigation into the Dahieh al-Baidar case away from political exploitation. He also said he had received a "cry" letter from the five Christian border villages in the south containing ten demands, which will feature prominently in the annual meeting of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon.