Bkirki and the Vatican are preparing for a possible visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon in 2012, as part of the Catholic Church’s strategy to protect Christians in the Middle East, Friday’s As-Safir reported.
“The Maronite patriarchate and the Vatican are coordinating to discuss preparations for a possible by Pope Benedict’s visit to Lebanon in 2012,” the paper quoted Church sources as saying.
“This is part of the Vatican’s new strategy to protect the Christian presence in Lebanon and the East,” the Church sources said.
Sources added that the Vatican and Bkirki share the single priority of protecting the Christian presence in the Middle East, especially following recent developments in the region.
Egypt's military police drove armored vehicles into a crowd of Christians protesting against an attack on a church in southern Egypt earlier this month, resulting in the death of at least 25 people.
With the fall of Hosni Mubarak, fears have escalated that ultraconservative Salafists and other Islamic groups may be targeting Coptics, who make up 10 percent of Egypt’s roughly 80 million people.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai has also raised the alarm over the Christian presence in Syria, warning that the unrest there could threaten Christians should it lead to the Muslim Brotherhood taking power, or to civil war between Sunnis and Alawites.
“The Vatican and Maronite patriarchate have information about the increase in immigration in the number of Christian families from Syria and that some of these families have begun buying houses in Lebanon, Arab and other foreign countries for permanent residence due to developments in Syria,” the paper reported.
The daily also said Rai’s remarks, which sparked weeks-long debate in Lebanon, stem from information provided by the Vatican regarding the danger facing the Christian presence.
Rai later said his remarks were taken out of context and dismissed any concerns over the future of Lebanon’s Maronite community.
Sources also said that Rai’s main concern now is the creation of a new electoral law that can protect the presence of Christians in Lebanon.
“Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai is placing great importance on establishing a new electoral law given that this issue represents a primary step toward … lessening political dependence of Christians on other parties,” the paper added.
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has drafted a new electoral law based on proportional representation. The Cabinet has not discussed the draft law which Charbel has proposed be implemented for the upcoming 2012 parliamentary elections.
The current system in Lebanon is based on a winner-takes-all electoral system.
The paper also added that Bkirki aims to eliminate what it views as the political isolation of Christians and rid the country of foreign strategies, either Arab or foreign.