On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis sends a message of encouragement to the Lebanese
Pope Francis on July 8, 2020 (Illustrative photo).
VATICAN MEDIA / AFP
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2 min
In a letter published on Christmas Eve, the Sovereign Pontiff wishes to express his closeness to all the inhabitants of Lebanon and invites them to look with hope towards the future, despite the many challenges.
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From our correspondent in the Vatican
,
Éric Sénanque
"
Without distinction of community or religious affiliation, I would like to address a few words of comfort and encouragement on the occasion of the celebration of the Nativity
", such are the first words of the Pope in this letter addressed to the Maronite Patriarch Bechara Raï .
"
My pain is great to see the suffering and the anguish stifle the entrepreneurial spirit and the dynamism of the country of the cedar
", confides François.
In a colorful way, it recalls the importance and majesty of the cedar, symbol of the country, in the Scriptures.
"
Like the cedar that resists in the storm,"
he wrote to the Lebanese
, "may you take advantage of the contingencies of the present moment to rediscover your identity, that which consists in bringing to the whole world the perfume of respect, cohabitation and pluralism. .
"
"Your work is not for you but for the State"
Quoting the former Maronite Patriarch Elias Hoyek, Francis also sends a clear message to Lebanese leaders, urging them to work for the public interest: “
Your time is not for you, your work is not for you but for the state and for the homeland you represent
”.
At the beginning of September, during a
special prayer
in the Vatican, a month after the disaster at the port of Beirut, the sovereign pontiff wished to give courage to the Lebanese, urging the international community not to forget their country.
► Read also: Vatican: Pope Francis calls for international solidarity with Lebanon
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Pope Francis
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Vatican: Pope Francis calls for international solidarity with Lebanon