Lebanese cardinal responds to verbal attacks from opposition leaders

Published: 2008-01-22

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) -- Cardinal Nasrallah P. Sfeir, Maronite patriarch, responded to a series of verbal attacks from Lebanese Christian opposition leaders by saying, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Criticism of the cardinal by two Maronite Catholics escalated in mid-January. Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh called the 87-year-old patriarch an employee of the U.S. and French embassies and urged him to resign. The Free Patriotic Movement leader, Gen. Michel Aoun, dubbed the cardinal "just an ordinary citizen who has the right to express his opinion." The Maronite Catholic Church traditionally has played a prominent social and political role in Lebanon, where, unlike many Western countries, there is a clearer separation between the church and state. Cardinal Sfeir has served as patriarch of the Maronite church since 1986. Alluding to the comments, Cardinal Sfeir said Jan. 17 "that the Maronite Patriarchate was not born yesterday and goes back 1,500 years, and it will continue to exist."

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