Lebanon’s Christians also affected by Israel’s attacks
St. George Maronite cathedral beside the Mohammad Al-Amin mosque in Beirut, the Lebanese capital. / Credit: Patrick Donovan via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0) ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 25, 2024 / 18:25 pm (CNA).
The large-scale bombings Israel unleashed this week against Hezbollah in Lebanon are affecting all of Lebanon’s residents, including Christians, according to the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
ACN’s project coordinator in Lebanon, Marielle Boutros, indicated that many Christian families residing in the bombed areas have been affected.
“Some have lost their homes and are now moving from the south to other places in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the north to find safety,” she said.
Boutros explained that even Beirut, the country’s capital, has been the target of attacks mainly confined to the areas with the largest Muslim population, where Hezbollah has most of its support.
“But Beirut is not a big city, so if a part of Beirut is targeted, all of Beirut will feel it, and all day people hear the sound of military aircraft or drones,” she said.
“I am 37 years old and I have lived through more than five wars in Lebanon. It is not easy to live in a country where one day you are OK and the next you are hiding from missiles. It’s not the kind of life young people like to live. The trauma that people are experiencing now, and the trauma of having yet another war, will not be easily forgotten,” Boutros added.
Boutros said that despite the bombing, projects carried out by the Catholic Church through ACN have not stopped and that “they are now more necessary than ever.”
“People are now living in church halls so they will need food, sanitary products, mattresses, blankets, and if it continues we will need heating for the winter, though of course we hope it won’t last that long,” said Boutros, who also called on all believers to pray for peace in Lebanon and the entire region.
‘No one wants war’
Another prominent Catholic voice who is speaking out about the situation is the Maronite archbishop of Tyre, Charbel Abdallah, who stated in an interview with Vatican News that the Lebanese are worried and “fearful for the future.”
“Everyone seeks peace. Nobody wants war,” he reiterated. “If the situation worsens, the war would not only affect the south, but it is all of Lebanon that is affected by the war. In October, children and young people will start school. We spent an entire year without school, and if schools do not open this year, we risk losing a lot, because people and families will be forced to leave the region.”
Finally, the archbishop highlighted that the Catholics of Lebanon have made the decision to pray fervently for an end to the conflict.
“All the priests in the parishes have taken steps to pray. The rosary is prayed every day. There is an hour of worship with the people, and we always try to encourage the spirit in prayer to ask for the peace of the Lord,” he said.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
