Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi rejected on Sunday any form of violence in Lebanon and elsewhere and called for “sustainable reconciliation” among the Lebanese. In his sermon on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the first anniversary of his election, al-Rahi said: “Based on our Christian culture we reject and condemn any violence committed on our territories or anywhere else.” We also reject any incitement to violence,” he stressed. Al-Rahi added that division and political and religious differences are rejected by the Maronite church. [Naharnet]

The mass was boycotted by March 14 politicians.