The Metropolitan of Beirut, Elias Audi, stated in his sermon on Sunday that “the emperors of our time claim faith and defend it, but they are nothing but worshippers of wealth and power.”
“Where are the accountable representatives of this nation when it comes to addressing the profound concept of true martyrdom, which embodies the ideals of love, sacrifice and duty entrusted upon them?” he asked.
Audi said that “a big part of the Lebanese population are hungry and suffering from poverty, fear, humiliation and death, and may become martyrs, while the parliamentary representatives sit on their thrones, far from exercising true authority, service and responsibility.”
“Ultimately, they will be answerable before the Divine, where the marginalized and neglected may precede them into the afterlife, echoing the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. We all seek divine mercy and forgiveness, but do we truly merit it?” he asked.
Moreover, Audi expressed his continuous surprise about encountering races, marathons or other events on a Sunday during prayer time which “obstruct believers from attending.” He added that “when questioned, the city governor feigned ignorance. Shouldn’t they be aware of what occurs in the capital?”
“Sunday holds sacred significance for Christians, much like Friday for Muslims,” he said, adding, “Today’s obstruction of priests and worshippers from accessing the church is unacceptable. This negligence is a sin attributed to city authorities, and we trust it won’t recur.”
