Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai emphasized that there was no “justifiable reason not to elect a president of the Republic who will abide by the Constitution and reorganize constitutional institutions.”

During his Sunday sermon, Rai underscored the necessity of “electing a president who can sit at the negotiating table” should an eventual peace agreement concerning the Gaza war be set forth.

Patriarch Rai also criticized “those obstructing the electoral process by linking it to the Gaza war,” which many interpret as a clear reference to the Shiite tandem that wishes to tie the presidential election to the issues of Gaza and south Lebanon.

The Pentecost mass, celebrated by the Maronite patriarch, was also an opportunity to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of       broadcasting channel Noursat (Télé Lumière), as well as the 3rd anniversary of the death of Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir.

After the mass, the patriarch met with the Acting Governor of the Central Bank (BDL), Wassim Mansouri.