On the fifth death anniversary of Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, homage was paid to the memory of a significant figure whose stances contributed to Lebanon’s liberation from Syrian occupation.
Caretaker Minister of Education Abbas Halabi praised the “central” role the Patriarch played in “preserving the sovereignty, freedom and independence of Lebanon, as well as promoting coexistence.”
حامل ارث الحريّة منذ يوحنّا مارون.
مدافع لا يستكين عن الدولة اللبنانية التي تحفظ وجود المسيحيين ودورهم.
الف تحية لروحك الطاهرة التي سكنت وجداننا. إنك فعلاً عظيم.#بيار_بو_عاصي #البطريرك_صفير #لبنان #القوات_اللبنانية #الجمهورية_القوية pic.twitter.com/IV8g2WCfp2— Pierre BouAssi (@PierreBouAssi) May 12, 2024
On his X account, Halabi recalled that Sfeir was the architect of “the reconciliation of the Mountain” and sponsored “Islamic-Christian dialogue.”
“He was the emblem of Lebanon’s glory,” he concluded.
Lebanese Forces (LF) MP Pierre Bou Assi praised the memory of the “unwavering defender of the Lebanese state who preserves the presence and role of Christians.”
LF MP Ziad Hawat emphasized the role played by Patriarch Sfeir in “freeing Lebanon from Syrian hegemony.”
في ذكرى غياب بطريرك السيادة والحرية الكاردينال نصرالله صفير نستعيد دوره الوطني في تحرير لبنان من الوصاية، وثباته وتمسكه بقيم لبنان.
معه وبرعايته حققت المقاومة السلمية ما كان يعتقد الكثيرون أنه شبه مستحيل.
نتطلع إلى مسيرته في هذا الزمن الصعب ، وإلى دور بكركي ، ونستعيد مقولته… pic.twitter.com/Auxgpj4fWk— Ziad Hawat (@ziad_hawat) May 12, 2024
“With him, peaceful resistance accomplished what many thought was impossible,” he wrote on his X account, adding “In these difficult circumstances, we revive in our memory the path he took and the role of Bkerke.”
Hawat concluded by quoting Patriarch Sfeir’s words, “Only Bkerke speaks the truth.”
On their X account, the LF published a photo of Patriarch Sfeir accompanied by a quote from the Patriarch expressing his hostility to Hezbollah’s weapons, “The party that possesses weapons holds power over others, and we refuse the presence of two armies in Lebanon.”
“الطرف الذي يملك السلاح يستقوي على الآخرين، ونرفض وجود جيشين في لبنان.”
ذكرى #البطريرك_صفير@DrSamirGeagea pic.twitter.com/eBUYS1ZRBt
— Lebanese Forces (@LFPartyOfficial) May 12, 2024
As for the leader of the Change Movement, Elie Mahfoud, he recalled in a statement that Patriarch Sfeir “believed in the complementarity between Christian, Muslim and Druze communities,” and “this is what allowed Lebanon to be liberated from Syrian occupation.”
“Today, we are called to hold onto each other and to Lebanese identity to save the Republic,” he insisted.
