Christians in Lebanon have opened church doors to their Muslim neighbours, as the conflict between Israel, the US and Hezbollah has left many internally displaced.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) insists it is targeting Hezbollah actors involved in the 7 October attacks. Yet this week, a Christian village in the south of the country was bombed, and at least 31 people were killed in total.
Archbishop Hanna Rahme of Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar has called for international attention to the region.
"We all want to end terrorism, but this violence is not an answer," he told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need. "We ask the UN to oversee dialogue.”
Archbishop Rahme, who leads the Monks of Beit Maroun, Servants of the Cedar of Lebanon, described how the relationship between Christians and Shi‘a Muslims has changed since the conflict began. Initially, some Christians found it difficult to welcome Shi‘a Muslims, whom they saw as responsible for the war, but the Church has since opened its doors to those seeking refuge.
He recounted a story shared by a priest: “The other day, a displaced family from a Muslim village had arrived and was worried about how they might be received. But the priest flung open his doors and helped them rebuild their lives. A few days later, he heard the daughter say to the parents: ‘It seems that the Christians are nice, and genuinely like us.'”
“The war has made many people realise that the Church’s charism is to call for peace and coexistence, even when other voices may promote violence," Archbishop Rahme said. "It is a completely different outlook, and when the situation stabilises, I hope that many will take the step, despite the risk of losing their job or their families, because people are noticing this contrast.”
Lebanon also remains home to many Syrian refugees. The Archbishop noted that while some Sunnis feel safe returning under the new Syrian government, “many Alawites, Shi‘a and Christians prefer to remain, because they don’t feel safe.”
Archbishop Rahme stressed the importance of faith during times of conflict, adding: “I am 66 years old. I belong to a generation that has known nothing but war. I would never have survived the situation Lebanon is going through if not for Jesus. I am very lucky, I have hope, I cannot imagine what it must be like for people to go through this without Jesus in their lives.”