Aoun's visit to Our Lady of Elige amid controversy and denial

Reports recently emerged from media, political and popular sources regarding a visit of head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun to Our Lady of Elige monastery in Mayfouq and his intention to place a flower wreath on the graves of Lebanese Resistance’s martyrs.                   

In a statement released, the Free Patriotic Movement in Jbeil denied this information.              

For its part, the Association of Our Lady of Elige commented on reports stressing that it has not addressed, and will not address in the future a private invitation to an official to visit its lands, explaining that the only invitation it addresses is for the annual mass held on the first Sunday following the Feast of the Cross.             

The Association stressed that Our Lady of Elige is a place for forgiveness and reconciliation, denouncing the attempt to use it for political exploitation to bring back hatred and feelings of the "painful past".                 

“Martyrs’ relatives have had enough suffering following the death of their loved ones, and we will not allow anyone to exploit the graves for political means”, it added.               

The position of Mayfouq officials:                        

The head of the Lebanese Forces office in Mayfouq, told al-Akhbar newspaper that “Mayfouq has a private nature and is considered as the site of the Lebanese Forces heritage”.               

“We welcome Aoun here, but the martyrs’ relatives would find it undesirable if he were to deliver a speech beside the final resting place of their loved ones. This fact may have negative impacts on the region’s residents”, he said.               

For his part, the president of the Mayfouq monastery, Father Paul Zyadeh, said that the visit would be “provocative and demeaning" especially towards Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, whom according to Zyadeh holds higher regards in Jbeil than MP Aoun does.                  

"Aoun should not attempt to supersede the President in protocol," Zyadeh stressed.