A Syrian Catholic Bishop, Native of Beirut, Details Israeli War Crimes in Southern Lebanon

The following is from the social media platform X. The “Bishop Nassif” referenced in the headline on that platform as “Syriac Catholic Bishop of South Lebanon,” is probably Bishop Antoine Nassif, who is the current Exarch of Canada for the Syriac Catholic sui juris church. This is a small Eastern Catholic unia of faithful Christians who rejected communion with the anti-Papal hierarchy of their rite and embraced Roman unity under the Pope.

It would seem that the title “Bishop of South Lebanon” is misleading; Bishop Antoine Nassif is Exarch of Canada, was born in Beirut, and has a titular see in Central Syria. If my little online researches prove inadequate, and this is another Bishop Nassif (I am open to correction), that would be interesting because this unia is very small (153,415 people total in 2018). Nonetheless, I’m posting it with the headline from X. The translation from Italian is the AI-generated one by X.

Please pray for little Lebanon, victim of evident Israeli war crimes. It is the homeland of our beloved mentor, Brother Francis, who was born 30 miles outside of Beirut.

Message from Bishop Nassif, Syriac Catholic Bishop of South Lebanon

Good evening, allow me to share my grief with you.

The Israeli army has just ordered the evacuation of Lebanese villages in a vast border region. The priests of the main Christian villages in the area, such as Qlaia, Marjeayoun, Rmeich, Debel, Kawkaba, Alma el-Charb, and Ain Ebel, have refused to leave, as have many other Christians. They rang the bells of their churches to express their refusal.

Yesterday, the brother of a friend of mine, Father Maroun Ghafari, pastor of Alma el-Charb, a shepherd who worked in the field, was attacked: he died on the spot.

Half an hour ago, the pastor of Qlaia, my dear colleague, Father Pierre al-Rai, was attacked and has just been killed. He has become a martyr of the Church and of Lebanon.

In these villages, nothing can threaten Israel’s security. We have been Christians on this land for 2000 years. It is a blessed land, trodden by Christ and His Most Holy Mother. We will not abandon our Lebanese land in southern Lebanon.

I humbly ask for your prayers for my brother priests in these Christian villages of southern Lebanon.

May Saint Charbel be with his Church.

May the Virgin Mary protect us with her angels.

I feel honored by the courage of these Christians and their clergy.

Warm regards,

Bishop Nassif

Here is the posting on X:

Flag of the Lebanese Republic. Image courtesy of WIPO, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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