PM Mikati meets Pope
Monday, Nov 28, 2011
His Holiness the Pope Benedict XVI received on Monday the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Vatican and affirmed that he is planning to visit Lebanon next fall, this country that he believes in as a “the Nation of the Message among the world nations”. He expressed his love and sympathy to Lebanon and its people indicating that he will always pray for it to find peace and well-being.
Prime Minister Mikati said that “Lebanon can only fly with his both wings, the Christian and the Muslim communities. We should all have a strong will to preserve the principles Lebanon was established on, such as tolerance and freedom of belief.
Arrival and Meeting
President Mikati arrived at the Vatican at 11 am, accompanied with the Ambassador of Lebanon to the Vatican George Khoury and the Lebanese delegation.
After the official reception ceremony, Mikati was received by His Holiness the Pope Benedict XVI in his office where a meeting of 35 minutes was held.
“Lebanon is going through very hard and critical times and is in urgent need of prayers for God to keep our country away from evil and woes. Moreover, the region is witnessing harsh conditions, and I am doing my best to protect Lebanon from potential repercussions,” Mikati said during his meeting with the Pope.
He added “Eastern Christians have always been the pioneers in the promotion of freedoms, freedom of belief and human rights, and Lebanon has always been their haven. There is no doubt that the comfort and security felt by Christians in Lebanon is reflected on the Christians of the region. I am certain that the Holy See can play a major role in this regard”.
Mikati reiterated that “the emigration of Christians from Lebanon is not related to religious factors, rather to harsh economic conditions all Lebanese are facing”, and added “Islam is a religion that praises tolerance, openness and acceptance of other religions”.
Photos and Presents
After the meeting, His Holiness the Pope received Mr. Mikati’s wife Mrs. May Mikati along with the Lebanese delegation members where photos were taken and souvenir presents were offered and exchanged between the Pope and Mikati.
Other Meetings
Another meeting was held between PM Mikati and the Vatican Secretary, Cardinal Taricion Bertone and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Vatican Dominique Mamberte.
During the meeting, Bertone and Mamberte transmitted the Holy See concerns towards the situation in the Middle East, not only regarding the Christian community, rather to all communities. They said “rationality should govern” and stressed on “the role played by Lebanon for Christians in the Middle East, and the model of coexistence it has always represented worldwide”. They also indicated that “the Holy See gives great attention to Lebanon” and that “the credibility of any government lies in the respect of commitments towards the international community”.
PM Mikati Statement
At the end of the visit to the Vatican, PM Mikati made the following statement:
“I was honored today to meet His Holiness the Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. I transmitted to him the love, respect and gratitude showed by the Lebanese people to his Holiness for the attention he accords to their Nation through his close follow-up for Lebanon to preserve its role as a Message, as described by the Blessed Pope John Paul II. I also reiterated on the invitation previously sent by the President of the Lebanese Republic Michel Sleiman to visit Lebanon, as the Lebanese people is impatiently waiting for him to announce the Apostolic Exhortation to all Eastern Christians from their homeland, stressing on the importance of the role played by the Lebanese and their interaction with the Arab surroundings for Lebanon to remain a pioneer and preserve its uniqueness”.
Mikati also had the chance to discuss developments in the surrounding region with his Holiness and stressed on the need to promote relations between Islam and Christianity, albeit the troubles witnessed in Iraq and Egypt at this level. These relations shall remain a model all efforts should target to preserve as a sign of interaction between cultures and civilizations and to fight marginalization, exclusion and individualistic trends. “Islam is a religion that praises tolerance, openness and acceptance of other religions”.
Islam: Religion of Tolerance and Openness
I assured His Holiness the Pope and other officials I met from the Holy See, namely the Vatican Secretary Cardinal Taricion Bertone, and the Foreign Minister of the Vatican Dominique Mamberte that Lebanon will remain a crossroad between various civilizations and cultures, and that coexistence between the Muslim and Christian Communities is a major asset valued by all Lebanese who struggle to preserve it and promote it as it has proven, despite what Lebanon has witnessed in its past and still do, its ability to bolster harmony and entente, hence saving Lebanon from crisis. This value is now a model to follow in order to address the problem of the Christian presence amidst the Arab region turbulent situation.
Holy See officials made encouraging statements on the importance of preserving the national entente among all Lebanese communities and the need to provide all elements needed for its success. It is only through entente that Lebanon can be saved and protected as a unified country where love, harmony and cooperation prevails and governs relations between all communities. This in turn improves the culture of dialogue and tolerance between Muslims and Christians who believe in one God and reject all forms of hatred, intolerance, coercion and fanaticism. Faith gathers all Lebanese, Muslims and Christians.
These calls lie at the core of the Lebanese specificity through its common living being the pillar of Lebanon’s presence and continuity. The Lebanese people who believe in one God will always be loyal to one Nation and will work for one State in a region it is an integral part of and where it is a pioneer.
I had the chance to discuss with his Holiness the Pope and other officials at the Vatican the Lebanese Government directions in regards to the current challenges. I was pleased to know that the Pope is satisfied with the efforts we are making to preserve security and stability in Lebanon and encourages us to always opt for the national options that would gather all Lebanese and to promote relations with the international community trying to keep Lebanon away from the region’s turmoil repercussions.
We also dealt with the developments of the Middle East region, namely Palestine. I praise the efforts made by the Vatican to achieve just and global peace. I can confirm that the Vatican is closely following the region current events and mutations; it is working hard to preserve freedom, dignity and autonomy for each Arab citizen.
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Premier Mikati had met earlier today with the Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi Sant'Agata with whom he discussed Lebanese-Italian relations.
During the meeting, the Italian Minister reiterated on the Italian position and support to Lebanon praising the Prime Minister’s position as to the UN resolution 1701 and Lebanon’s respect to international commitments.
PM Mikati also received a delegation from the “Sant’Edigio Community” concerned with the dialogue between civilizations and religions, who briefed him on the association activities, namely the cooperation with several authorities in Lebanon.