Pope Francis voiced hopes on Monday that Lebanon would witness an International and national political commitment that would contribute to strengthening stability in a country “that is facing the risk of losing its national identity and plunging into regional tensions.”
The comments of Pope Francis were made to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See whereby he stressed the necessity of Lebanon preserving “its unique identity in order to guarantee a diverse and tolerant Middle East, in which the Christian presence makes its contribution and is not limited to being a minority.”
According to the Vatican News website, the Pope also noted that weakening “the Christians in Lebanon threatens to destroy its internal balance,” stressing the need to deal with the country’s problems that are related to the presence of Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
He also warned against the financial collapse of the country.
Pope Francis concluded by calling on the Lebanese religious and political leaders “to put their personal interests aside and to commit to achieving justice, implementing reforms, acting in a transparent manner and bearing the consequences of their actions.”