ASIA/LEBANON -The whole of Lebanon is gathered around Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai, new Cardinal

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Beirut (Agenzia Fides) - The entrance to the Sacred College of Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai is an opportunity to regain the national unity of Lebanon in an extremely delicate moment for the political and social balances of the Country of the cedars. Representatives of all factions and political and religious groups that make up the mosaic of Lebanon, in the coming days will be attending the celebrations and public events related to the Consistory summoned in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI for the creation of six new Cardinals. On that occasion, the head of the Maronite Church will receive from the hands of the Bishop of Rome, the biretta.
The celebrations and then the official meetings with Patriarch neo-Cardinal will be attended by more than twenty Lebanese Bishops, religious Superiors of Lebanon as well as representatives of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and the Armenian Patriarchate. National institutions will be present at the highest level, with the participation of the President of the Lebanese Republic Michel Suleiman. There is a nourished and eloquent list of political group representatives, who in the presence of Patriarch neo-cardinal will temporarily put aside contrasts that mark the current phase of Lebanese politics. Unless a last-minute bail out, the Phalange Party will be represented by former President Amin Gemayel. He will send a personal representative of the former Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who on Wednesday was able to greet the Pope at Paul VI Hall at the end of the general audience. Several Members of the Free Patriotic Movement, the Party led by former General Michel Aoun will come to Rome for the Consistory. While Suleiman Franjie, leader of the Marada movement, will send his son to represent him.
According to information gathered by Fides Agency, the party of Hezbollah will also be in Rome during the Consistory with its official representative. We are talking about Ghalib Abu Zeinab, a member of the Political Bureau of the Shiite Party responsible for relations with Christians. On 9 November, a delegation of Hezbollah led by Sayyed Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, head of the political bureau of the organization, had gone to the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke to offer his congratulations to the Patriarch. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 21/11/2012).


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