Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi pointed out that “our visit to the Vatican on July 1 is a milestone in Pope Francis’ efforts to help and sustain Lebanon, and we go bearing the concerns of all Lebanese, not just Christians.”

In his sermon during the “Peace of the Eastern Day” mass in Diman, Al-Rahi indicated that “the political group is extending its hand to steal depositors’ money by withdrawing from the mandatory reserve as if it wants to finance its electoral campaigns from depositors’ money, and this is an aggravated crime.”

He renewed his call to the political class to form a rescue government that would carry out the necessary reforms so that aid would come from abroad.

Finally, he stressed that “events confirmed that weakening the Christian role will lead to the faltering of Lebanon’s unity and its democratic pattern.”