Ministerial, and Ecclesiastical
committees announced on Wednesday that preparations for Pope Benedict
XVI historical visit to Lebanon are complete.
Posters of the pope and Vatican and Lebanese flags decorate the highways in Lebanon as a welcoming sign.
The pope is due to arrive on Friday for a three-day visit to
Lebanon, which has been battling to contain an eruption of violence
triggered by Syria's bloodshed, including a spate of mass kidnappings
that recalled the dark days of the country's own civil war.
The pope will sign the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the
Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops during his
visit.
Father Marwan Tabet, the Apostolic coordinator of the pope's
visit, said the pope was worried about Christians in the Middle East
after the dramatic changes in many Arab states during the Arab Spring
revolts.
Tabet added that the pope would would make reassurances on "conviviality, democracy, freedom of speech and human rights".
Within this framework, Environment
Minister Nazem Khoury mentioned that the Apostolic Exhortation promises a
better future pointing out that this Exhortation sheds the light on a
sincere Arab Spring.
For his part, Bishop Kamil Zeidan announced the full program of the
Pope's visit including pilgrim marches towards the Museum Square-Beirut,
and a Christian-Muslim gathering across the National Museum.Zeidan
asked to consider Thursday as a national Lebanese day, and called
churches to ring bells on Friday at 1:45 PM to celebrate his holiness'
arrival.
In addition to this, the Bishop asked Lebanese citizens to
light white and yellow candles on their roofs as a symbol of the Vatican
flags.
For his part, Pope Benedict XVI
called for peace in the Middle East and for respecting all cultures and ethnicities.
The Pope also summoned all
Christians to be “makers of peace” at a time when the Syrian crisis remains in
full flare.
Alpha
The 85-year-old German pontiff is set to meet various religious leaders in multi-faith Lebanon and emphasise the need for peaceful coexistence between Christian and Muslim communities in the Middle East.
Most spiritual leaders have voiced support for the pope's visit to Lebanon, although Cleric Omar Bakri Fostock has come out against the visit over remarks the pope made in 2006 linking Islam to violence.
"The pope is not welcome in this country as far as I am really concerned. I represent myself and the Islamic views I believe in because he did insult my religion, insulting my beloved messenger Mohammad," Fostock said.
LBCI/AP