AsiaNews: Sunday’s funeral service for Said Akl (1912-2014), one of Lebanon’s greatest poets since Gibran Khalil Gibran, was an exceptional affair. The poet, who died last week, may not have had Gibran’s international reach, but he certainly was his equal if not more in terms of spirit, greatness and faith.
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara al-Rahi led the funeral service at Saint George Maronite Cathedral in downtown Beirut. In his homily, the patriarch paid tribute to a man who was as much a great Christian as he was a great poet. Poet, writer, philosopher and philologist, Said Akl consistently sought God’s presence in Christ’s face throughout his long life. Full tribute is here.
