Loading ...Maronite patriarch visits
By Paul Tennant
Eagle Tribune
The Maronite community literally rolled out the red carpet for their patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Peter Rai, who visited the Merrimack Valley on Friday.
After landing at Lawrence Municipal Airport, the patriarch was greeted by dozens of well-wishers. Many displayed Lebanese and American flags and Rai received quite a few bouquets of flowers. Rai, patriarch of Antioch and All the East, is the leader of Maronite Christians all over the world.
The majority of Lebanese Christians belong to the Maronite rite, which is united with the Catholic Church. Others belong to the Melkite rite, which is also Catholic.
Both the Maronite and Melkite rites claim substantial numbers in the Merrimack Valley.
“We’re so glad to have you here,” said Mayor Daniel Rivera, who presented the patriarch with a proclamation. The city that Rivera leads has had a large Lebanese community for well over 100 years. Near the beginning of the 20th century, thousands of Lebanese immigrants came to Lawrence to work in the textile mills.
More recently, large numbers have left Lebanon and immigrated to the Merrimack Valley to escape the civil war that devastated that nation. St. Anthony Maronite Church, believed to be the oldest Maronite parish in the United States, serves about 1,200 families, according to the pastor, Monsignor Peter Azar.
Rivera expressed the wish that the patriarch will “bring blessings to everybody.”
State Sen. Barbara L’Italien, D-Andover, and Rep. Marcos Devers, D-Lawrence, presented Rai with citations from their respective branches of the Legislature, as well as greetings from Gov. Charlie Baker and Congressman Seth Moulton, D-Salem.
Rai, speaking in Arabic while Azar translated his remarks into English, spoke highly of the “mingling of two communities” – Lebanese and American. He also expressed his gratitude for “such a family welcome.”
Many of the well-wishers said the Lebanese are very family-oriented.
After his welcome at the airport, where they indeed rolled out a red carpet for him, Rai went to the Atkinson Country Club in Atkinson, N.H., for another reception, escorted by motorcycle-riding police officers from the Lawrence, Methuen, North Andover and Atkinson departments.
Methuen police Chief Joseph Solomon, a Lebanese-American, and North Andover police Lt. Charles Gray, who will soon become chief of his department, were among the public safety officials present.
After the visit to Atkinson, the patriarch, again escorted by the police motorcycles, journeyed to St. Anthony Maronite Church, where he received a rock-star welcome from parishioners of all ages. Rai, who cuts a regal yet humble figure, cheerfully granted numerous requests for photographs.
“No selfies,” Monsignor Azar ordered.
Rai celebrated the Divine Liturgy (Mass) along with several Catholic prelates and other priests, including Azar, Bishop Gregory Mansour, head of the Eparchy (Diocese) of St. Maron of Brooklyn, the Most Rev. Robert Hennessey, Latin rite regional bishop for the Merrimack Valley and the Rev. Martin Hyatt of St. Basil’s Salvatorian Center, a Melkite Catholic priest.
If one seeks a short, watered-down Mass, the Maronite Divine Liturgy doesn’t offer it. Friday evening’s Mass, on the occasion of the Feast of St. John the Baptist, was celebrated in Arabic and Aramaic – the language spoken by Jesus and his disciples – with some prayers and readings in English.
The choir, directed by veteran director Camil Saade, sang in both Aramaic and Arabic, at times accompanied by a lute, violin and keyboard. The St. Anthony Maronite choir, which has achieved nationwide acclaim, spent months in preparation for this celebration, according to Azar.
He praised the choir’s “angelic voices.”
Rai delivered his homily in both Arabic and English. Besides those languages, he also speaks French, Spanish and Italian.
“I bring you warm greetings from Lebanon,” he told the congregation, which overflowed from the sanctuary into the hallway. “We ask for your prayers and support.”
He noted that the Lord’s Prayer ask that God’s will be done – not ours. In the spirit of Pope Francis’ proclamation of the Year of Mercy, he urged those present to “endeavor to practice mercy every day.”
During an interview, Rai said the Middle East is beset by three conflicts: The strife between the Israelis and Palestinians; the rivalry between two Islamic nations, Saudi Arabia and Iran; and the violence that terrorists perpetrate against innocent people.
“We need a solution,” he said. The Israeli-versus-Palestinian conflict can be resolved by giving the Palestinians a state of their own and returning the refugees to their land, he said.
Reconciliation between Shiites, who are dominant in Iran, and Sunnis, who make up the majority in Saudi Arabia, would put an end to that conflict, he said.
As for the terrorists, he said, they need to be fought.
“The poor and innocent people are paying a heavy price,” he said.
Rai participated in the conclave that elected Francis as pope in March 2013. He is now the only cardinal eligible to vote for a pope in the Middle East.
Asked to describe the pope, he called him a “marvelous” and “humble” man who champions the poor.
“He is a university all by himself,” he said.
Manny Boustani and his wife, Kronfli, were among the many parishioners who greeted their patriarch and were photographed with him. Boustani, who came to the United States from Lebanon 40 years ago and operated the Gourmet Take Away in Salem, N.H., for many years, said Rai’s visit was an opportunity to express “solidarity” among Maronite Christians.
“This was a historical visit that will not be forgotten,” said Elias Azzi, a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 16204 who served on the altar during the Divine Liturgy. The Knights led the procession into the church and served as an honor guard for the patriarch and other prelates and priests.
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