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LEBANON - LIBAN - لبنان

Feast day of Our Lady of Lebanon - 1st May

St Paul VI was a pilgrim to Beirut briefly in 1964St John Paul II wrote two apostolic letters about Lebanon: Les Grands Mystères in 1984 and in 1989 one on the situation in Lebanon. JPII was a pilgrim to Lebanon in 1997, during which he gave his post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation on 'A New Hope for Lebanon'. Pope enedict XVI was a pilgrim to Lebanon in September 2012 for the Feast of the Exultation of the Cross, when he gave his post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Church in the Middle East, Ecclesia in Medio Oriente, on Communion and Witness.

Here below are responses to Totus2us podcasts given Lebanese people
- many thanks to you all   ♥

On 16 June 2013 the Solemn Act of Consecration of Lebanon and the entire Middle East was carried out by the Cardinal of Lebanon and the entire episcopate of Lebanon, along with the Catholic Patriarchs of the different Middle Eastern countries.

Divine Mercy Chaplet in Arabic - في اللغة العربية      

Prières en français sur Totus2us

Le Saint Rosaire avec Soeur Hyacinthe Defos du Rau OP          
Le Chapelet et la Neuvaine à la Miséricorde Divine          
Chemin de Croix avec les prières du Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger      

لتحميل تسجيلات MP3 الصوت الحر بشكل فردي، يمين / انقر مرتين على أزرار اللعب  - To download the free audio mp3 recordings individually, right/double click on the blue play buttons - Pour télécharger les enregistrements audio MP3 gratuits, droit/double-cliquez sur les boutons bleus de lecture.

Pope Saint John Paul II's Prayer
11 May 1997 - in English, French, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish

"At the time of the Marian prayer, we also invoke the saints who lived in this land. With you, I pray to St Maron, St Charbel and Bl Rafka. I am also thinking of Venerable Al-Hardini, whom I soon hope to have the joy to enrol among the blesseds.

With you, I entrust all the sons and daughters of the country to Our Lady of Lebanon. May the Mother of the Lord, present at the foot of the Cross and in the Upper Room at Pentecost, gather in faith, hope and love her children present in the country or dispersed throughout the world! May she help your pastors in their ministry! May she sustain the fidelity to prayer and charitable service of monks and nuns, of men and women religious! May she accompany lay people in their ecclesial life and in their service to society! May she strengthen families in unity and love and in devotion to their educational mission! May she guide young people on the paths of life!

May Mary, in her motherly tenderness, comfort the poorest, those who are suffering in body or mind, prisoners and refugees!

Our Lady of Lebanon, watch over all the people who live in this land so sorely tried! The Successor of Peter, who has come here to bring all a message of faith and hope, entrusts them to you. On the threshold of the third Christian millennium, may we see the prophetic message of Isaiah fulfilled: “Is it not a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?” (29:17)!

O Most Holy Virgin, grant that this people of ancient origins but ever young may remain the worthy heir of their distinguished history and build their future dynamically in dialogue with all, in mutual respect for the different groups and in fraternal harmony!

Queen of Peace, protect Lebanon!
Queen of Peace, we pray you, hear us!"

Clara      

"The Virgin Mary is like a mother for me, a mother of all of us.
Pour moi la Vierge, c'est une mère, la mère de tous."

Fida      

"Je veux remercier la Sainte Marie a propos ma mère … Je demande pour protéger ma famille et pour faire la paix à tout le monde."

Hilda      

"La Vierge pour nous, c'est notre mère, c'est la mère de tous les chrétiens. C'est le devoir d'une mère: on demande qu'elle nous protège, qu'elle nous aide, qu'elle nous donne tout le temps la foi. C'est ce qu'on demande d'une maman."

Joelle      

"My relationship with Jesus started through Mary. One day when I was really upset and sad and honestly I was feeling really depressed and I asked Saint Mary to take my heart and to give me her heart so I would feel happy. And suddenly, when I was praying, out of nowhere I felt this peace and this happiness in my heart that I can never, never, never describe. And since that day I decided to start a close relationship with Jesus because of Saint Mary."

Margot      

"Our Blessed Mother is everything to me. She’s my mother."

Margot gives her response in English and Lebanese.

Mary      

"I can't imagine my life without Mother Mary being with me. I'm here first of all to tell her how much I love her, she means the world to me; to thank Jesus for everything that is happening to me, for being next to me."

Mazen      

"I've always prayed to the Virgin Mary and recently I've been praying more often, but I feel that she's making me get closer to Jesus, closer to God, and she's been blessing me with lots of love, lots of happiness, taking my worries away, making me feel a happier person."

Mazen gives his something about Mary in English & Arabic.

Brother Michel Marie      

"Mary for me is the gift of God for us and our gift to God."

Brother Michel Marie gives his something about Mary in English & Arabic.

Nida      

"I came to Lourdes from Lebanon to thank Our Lady because she makes with me so many miracles.  She is the Queen of my heart and the Lady of our family. And she is the mother of the creature and the Creator. Thanks for this Saint Mary, mother of Jesus Christ."

Nida gives her quelque chose de Marie in English, French & Armenian.

Nisrine       

"The Virgin Mary has changed my life and she is like a mother to me. I cannot thank her enough for all the blessings she has given me and for her presence in my life, and how she got me closer to Jesus and to God."

Raymond       

"I would like to say Our Lady of Victories, because she is victorious over satan and his temptations. Praying to her is like a person praying to his mother, and when we pray constantly to her, straight on she will take us to Jesus Christ, as God and as her Son, when he was incarnated and took our body."

Rita      

"Our Lady, Mary, is the mother of everybody. She's our mother, she's the holy mother, she raised Jesus."

Rita gives her something about Mary in English & Arabic.

Sandra      

"La Vierge Marie pour moi, c’est ma deuxième maman et c'est la deuxième maman de tout le monde pour moi, je pense. On a tous besoin d'elle et on lui demande beaucoup de choses mais on lui dit aussi beaucoup merci parce qu'elle fait beaucoup de très belles choses et elle nous aide à grandir dans la foi."

Solange      

"I have a big, big devotion to Our Lady because she is the mother of all, she is love for me. I trust her so much because whenever I asked her to be in my life, to help me, she has always been present."

Stella      

"Mary is a Mother for all."

Si vous voudriez donner votre quelque chose de Marie,
s'il vous plaît contacter l'équipe Totus2us

- ainsi que vous apporter la joie (nous l'espérons)
vous seriez vraiment aider Totus2us   ♥

Totus tuus ego sum et omnia mea tua sunt.
Accipio te in mea omnia. Praebe mihi cor tuum, Maria. - St Louis de Montfort

Bienheureux Jean-Paul II a pris sa devise Totus Tuus de cette citation.

"Je suis totalement vôtre et tout ce que j'ai est à toi.
Je vous accepter pour mon tout. Ô Marie, donne-moi ton cœur.”

Sunday, 16 June 2013

Act of Consecration of Lebanon and the Middle East to Mary

"Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother,
You have been chosen by God Our Father, through the action of the Holy Spirit, to become the Mother of His Incarnate Son; You lived perfectly the obedience of faith, united, by your motherhood, to Your Son Jesus by an indissoluble bond, thus listening to His words, treasuring up all these things and pondering them in Your heart; You accompanied Him throughout His early life in Nazareth, where He was growing in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man; You interceded with Him in Cana of Galilee, You suffered with Him in Your motherly heart at the foot of the Cross and participated in the redemption that He accomplished, He, the only Redeemer of the world, for the sake of all humanity in every time and place. Your spiritual motherhood thus embraced the whole of humanity and all mankind, in all their affiliations and cultures. Today, after You were raised to the glory of Your Son risen from the dead, you continue to enfold us with Your maternal care, through Your intercession, for us to welcome the graces of the Lord that would lead us to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Our Lady of Lebanon, we ask You to bestow your tenderness upon our beloved country Lebanon and all the Middle East, this region whose soil witnessed the fulfillment of the events of His plan of redemption and from where the Church, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, took off to bring the Good News to the entire populations, bearing witness to the Lord Jesus until martyrdom and acting as the guarantor of the treasure of faith, in order to transmit it from generation to generation, until it reached us.
O Mother of the Church, help us through Your intercession, for we are the sons and daughters of the Church to which You belong and whose model, mother and teacher You are, so that we may live the Communion of Love among ourselves and bear witness to the human and Christian values in our family, social and national lives, working to promote those values in Lebanon and the East and turning them into a civilization that elevates the human person to listen with the utmost obedience to God who speaks constantly to his heart.
O Mother of men and peoples, You who know our sufferings and joys, our fears and hopes, protect this region through Your intercession from all that threatens it, from violence, extremism, turmoil and turbulence, and from the demeaning of human persons' dignity and the infringement of their rights, freedom and integrity; we pray You to guide all the children of this East, in their diversity, that their minds be enlightened with the light of the only Creator who wants us to live as one human family tied by the bonds of brotherhood, so that every person may seek to build a bright future, on the grounds of convergence, participation, love and justice.
We implore You, O Mother, to accept from us the consecration of Lebanon and the East to Your Immaculate Heart and to Your Holy patronage. We thus consecrate ourselves to God, through the action of the Holy Spirit, following the example of the Only Son who consecrated Himself to His Divine Father and was faithful to Him in all His acts and teachings, for the salvation of humanity. Pray for us, that we may live the full requirements of this consecration, thus repenting of our sins, listening to the Word of God which is our source of life, and renewing our love to God by complying to His will and through our love for our neighbours expressed in the act of reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in a spirit of brotherhood.

We implore Your intercession, O Holy Mary:
For human persons to be open to God and to abide by His will, thus working for the good of the entire humanity and contributing to building peace, we pray You;
So that we show faithfulness to Jesus Christ in our life and bear witness to Him in our words and deeds, through love and reconciliation, service and sacrifice, we pray You;
So that we carry the Cross of pain in our souls and bodies, following the example of Jesus Christ, and face the challenges and adversities with patience and hope, we pray You;
For our bishops, priests, religious and laymen, so that God assists them in carrying out their mission, we pray You;
For the preservation of the sanctity of the union of marriage and for our families to remain domestic churches that convey faith, teach how to pray and contribute in the life and ministry of the Church, we pray You;
For the respect of human life from birth and until death, we pray You;
For peace in our hearts, our families and communities and for the advancement of human beings, we pray You;
So that each human person’s dignity, rights, civil and religious freedoms and integrity be preserved, we pray You;
For the political authorities to work on ensuring public good which contributes to the good of men and the nations, we pray You;
So that we may be delivered from our sins that lead to divisions, aggressions and violence, we pray You;
So that we give God the priority in our life, against the reality of consumerism and materialism and in light of the excessive earthly concerns and temptations of life, we pray You;
O Mother of God and Lady of Lebanon, full of sanctity, intercede for us, that we may accept in our country and our East the graces that God has bestowed upon the world, by the enduring salvific power of the redemption and the merciful love that leads consciences and sanctifies the human person, so that with You and through You we may elevate the hymn of glory and praise to the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who has chosen You, Amen."

Antonia, from Walsingham      
"On 16 June I celebrated the greatest day of my life when the solemn Act of Consecration of Lebanon & the entire Middle East took place in the National Shrine of Our Lady in Harissa to the Immaculate Heart of Mary."

Majida El Roumi - Touba Lel Saeena - Pope Benedict XVI / ماجدة الرومي - طوبى للساعين

Benedict XVI's Reflections on his Apostolic Pilgrimage to Lebanon
Wednesday Audience, 19 September 2012 - in Arabic, Croatian, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish

الاربعاء ١٩ ايلول ٢٠١٢(
تعليم قداسة البابا بندآتس السادس عشر عن زيارته الرسولية إلى لبنان

أّيها الإخوة والأخوات الأحّباء،


أو ُّدالعودَةسريًعااليوم،بالفكِروالقل ِب،إلىالأّياِمالاستثنائّيةلزيارتيالرسولّيةالتي أجريُتهاإلىلبنان.إنهازيارةٌأردُتهابقّوٍة،بالرغِم ِمَنالظرو ِفال ّصعبِة، ُمعتبًراأّن علىالأ ِبأنيكوَنإلىجان ِبأبناِئِهعندماُيواجهوَنمشاِآَل َخِطَرًة.لقدحّرآتنيلذلك ا ل ر غ ب ُ ة ا ل ق و ي ّ ُ ة لإ ع لا ِ ن ا ل س لا ِ م ا ل ذ ي ت ر َ آ ُ ه ا ل ر ُّب ا ل ق ا ئ ُ م م ن ا ل م و ِت ل ت لا م ي ِ ذ ِ ه ِ م ن ْ خ لا ِ ل آلماِت ِه: " َسلامي ُأعطي ُكم" )يو ٢٧ :١٤(. لقد آا َن الهد ُف الرئي ُس لهذه الزيارة توقي َع الإرشا ِد الرسول ّي الكنيس ُة في ال ّشر ِق الأوسط وتسلي َم ُه إلى ممثلين عن الكنائ ِس الكاثوليكي ِة في ال ّشر ِق الأوسط، آما إلى الكنائ ِس والجماعا ِت الكنسي ِة ا ُلأخرى، وأيضًا

إلى المسؤولي َن المسلمين.

َش َّكَلتْهذهالزيارُة َحَدًثاآنسًّيامؤّثًرا،وفيالوقتعينه،آانتْفرصًةمنَحتْناإ َّياها العنايُة للحوار، في بلٍد واقُعُه مع َّقدٌ ولكن َُّه رمز ٌّي لك ّل المنطقِة، بحكم تقليِدِه في العي ِش المشتر ِك والتعاو ِن الف ّعا ِل بين ُمخَتَل ِف الم َك ّونا ِت الدينّي ِة والاجتماعّي ِة. أما َم الآلا ِم والمآسي التي لا تزا ُل حاضرًة في ال ّشر ِق الأوسط، أظهر ُت ُقرب َي المحسوس للتطلعا ِت المشروع ِة لهذه الشعوب الحبيبة، ُمَب ِّل ًغا اّياها رسالة تشجيع وسلام. أفكّ ُر خ ا ّص ًة ب ا ل ص ر ا ِع ا ل ف ظ ي ِع ا ل ذ ي ي ع ذّ ُب س و ر ي ا ، و ي س ّب ُب ، ف ض ًلا ع ن آ لا ِف ا ل ق ت ل ى ، َد ف ًق ا م َن اللاجئي َن الذي َن َينص ُّبو َن على المنطق ِة في تفتي ٍش يائ ٍس عن الأم ِن وعن المستقب ِل؛ آما ولا أنسى الحالَة الصعبَة في العراق. خلال زيارتي هذه، عا َش اللبنانّيون وشعو ُب الشرق الاوسط، – الكاثوليك منهم وممّثلي الكنائس والجماعات الكنسّية الأخرى و م خ ت ل ف ا ل ط و ا ئ ف ا لإ س لا م ّي ة - ب ح م ا س ٍة و ب ج ٍّو ه ا ن ٍئ و ب ّن ا ٍء ، ا خ ت ب ا ًر ا م ه ًّم ا ل لا ح ت ر ا ِم المتبادل، وللَتَف ُّه ِم والأخ َّوِة، وهذا ما ُي َشك ِّ ُل علام َة رجا ٍء قوّي ًة للبشرّي ِة جمعا َء. ولكن، على الأخ ّص، هذا اللقاء مع المؤمني َن الكاثوليك في لبنا َن وفي ال ّشرق الاوسط، الحاضرين بالآلاف، قد َو َّلَد شعو َر ُشك ٍر عمي ٍق في نفسي، بفض ِل حرارِة ايمانهم

وشهادتهم.

أشك ُر الر َّب على هذه العطّية القّيمة، التي ُتعطي رجا ًء بمستقب ِل الكنيس ِة في تل َك البقا ِع من الأرض: الشبا ُب والراشدون والعائلا ُت الذين تح ّرآ ُهم رغبةٌ قويةٌ في تجذي ِر حياتهم في المسيح، وفي البقا ِء ُم َع َّلقي َن بالإنجي ِل، وفي السي ِر م ًعا في الكنيس ِة. ُأ َعب ِّ ُر ُم َج َّد ًد ا ع ن ُش ك ر ي ل ل ِذ ي ن ع م ل و ا ِب لا َآ َل ٍل م ن أ ج ِل ز ي ا ر ت ي ه ذ ه : ا ل ب ط ا ر آ ة و ا لأ س ا ق ف ة ف ي لبنا َن، و ُمساعديهم، وأمانة الس ّر العامة لسينود ِس الأساقف ِة، والأشخاص المك ّرسين، والمؤمنين العلمانيين، الذين هم واقعٌ ثمينٌ ومؤثرٌ في المجتم ِع اللبناني. استطع ُت أنْ أستنتَجمباشرًةأّنالكنائ َسالكاثوليكّيَةاللبنانّيَة،عبَرحضورهاالذييربوعلىالألَفي

س ن ة و ع ب َر إ ل ت ز ا ِم ه ا ا ل م ل ي ء ب ا ل ر ج ا ء ، ت ق و ُم ب م س ا ه م ٍة ف ّع ا ل ٍة و ح م ي د ٍة ف ي ا ل ح ي ا ِة ا ل ي و م ّي ِة لجمي ِع ُس ّكا ِن الوطن. آما ُأعبّ ُر عن الشك ِر والإحترا ِم للسلطا ِت اللبنانية، وللمؤسسا ِت وللجمعّيا ِت وللمتط ّوعي ِن ولّلذي َن ساهموا في إنجا ِح هذه الزيارِة من خلا ِل الصلاِة. لا أ س ت ط ي ُع أ ن أ ن س ى ا لإ س ت ق ب ا َل ا ل و ّد َي ا ل ت ي ت ل ّق ي ُت ُه م ن ر ئ ي ِس ا ل ج م ه و ر ي ة ، ا ل س ّي د م ي ش ا ل سليمان، آما أي ًضا من مختل ِف مك ّونا ِت الوط ِن وشرائ ِح النا ِس: لقد آا َن استقبا ًلا حا ًّرا، وف َق الضياف ِة اللبناني ِة ال ّشهير ِة. لقد استقبلني المسلمو َن باحترا ٍم آبي ٍر وتقدي ٍر صاد ٍق؛ إ ّن حضو َر ُهم الدائ َم والمشار َك أعطاني إمكانّي َة إيصا ِل رسال ِة حوا ٍر وتعاو ٍن بين المسيحّية والإسلام: أعتقُد أ ّن الوق َت قد حا َن لُنعطي َسوًّيا َشهادًة صادقًة وواضحًة ض َّد الإنقساما ِت، وض َّد الُعن ِف، وض َّد الحرو ِب. إ ّن الكاثولي َك الآتين من البلدا ِن

المجاورِةأظهروابحرارٍةعمَقمحّبِتهملخليفِةبطر َس.

بع َد مراس ِم الإستقبا ِل الجميل ِة عند وصولي إلى مطا ِر بيروت، آا َن الموع ُد الأوّ ُل احتفالًّيا بامتياز: توقيُع الإرشاِد الرسول ّي الكنيسة في الشرق الاوسط، في بازيليك القديس بولس – حريصا، للروم الملكيين الكاثوليك. في تل َك المناسب ِة، َد َعو ُت آاثولي َك الّشرِقالأوسطإلىأنُْيَرّآزواالنظَرعلىالمسيِحالمصلو ِبِلَيجدواعنَدُهالقوَة،حتى فيالحالاِتالَصعبِةوالمؤلمِة،للإحتفاِلبانتصاِرالمحبِةعلىالُبغِض،والُغفراِنعلى ا لا ن ت ق ا ِم ، و ا ل و ح د ِة ع ل ى ا لإ ن ق س ا ِم . َأ ّآ د ُت ل ل ج م ي ِع أ َّن ا ل ك ن ي س َة ا ل ج ا م ع َة ق ر ي ب ةٌ ، أ آ ث َر م نْ أ ِّي وق ٍت مضى، بالعاطف ِة والصلاِة، م َن الكنائ ِس ال ّشرقّية: هذه الكنائ ُس، على آونها "قطيعًاصغيرًا"،لايج ُبأنتخا َف،بلعليهاأنتتيّقَنأّنالر َّبهودوًمامعها.إّن

البابا لا ينساها.

في اليوم الثاني من زيارتي الرسولّية، التقي ُت أرآا َن مؤسسا ِت الدولِة وعالِم الثقافِة والسل َك الدبلوماس َّي والرؤسا َء الدينّيين. وبّين ُت لهم، م ّما بّين ُت، طريًقا يسلكونها ل ض م ا ِن م س ت ق ب ِل س لا ٍم و ت ض ا م ٍن : ي ت ع لّ ُق ا لأ م ُر ب ا ل ع م ِل ل ك ي ت ؤ ّد َي ا لإ خ ت لا ف ا ُت ا ل ث ق ا ف يّ ُة والاجتماعيّ ُة والدينّي ُة، من خلا ِل الحوا ِر الصاد ِق، إلى ا ُلأخ ّوِة الجديدِة، حي ُث ما يجم ُع هوالشعوُرالمشترُكبَعَظَمِةوآرامِةآ ِّلشخ ٍص،وحيُثالحياُةمداَفعٌعنهاَوُمصانةٌ. في اليو ِم عينه، آا َن لي لقاءٌ مع رؤسا ِء الطوائ ِف الدينّي ِة الإسلامّي ِة، والذي َت َّم برو ِح الحوا ِر وال ُو ِّد المتباد ِل. أشك ُر ا َالله على هذا اللقاء. إ َّن عال َم اليوم يحتا ُج إلى علاما ٍت واضح ٍة وقوّي ٍة ع ِن الحوا ِر والتعاو ِن، فهذا ما آا َن علي ِه لبنا ُن حتى اليوم وما يج ُب أن

يبقى عليه، أي أنْ يكو َن ِمثا ًلا للدو ِل العربّي ِة ولباقي دو ِل العالم.

بعد الظه ِر، وفي آرس ّي البطريرك الماروني، استقبلني ألو ُف الشبا ِب من لبنا َن ومن الدو ِل المجاورِة، بحماسٍة لا ُتحتوى، وأعطوا حياًة لوق ِت احتفا ٍل وصلاٍة سو َف يبقى حاض ًرا في ذاآرِة الكثيري َن وفي قلِب ِهم. فأشر ُت إلى ح ِّظهم في أن يعيشوا في تل َك الُبقع ِة من العال ِم التي رأتْ المسي َح، المائت والقائم من الموت من أجل خلاصنا، والتي َش ِه َدتْ على تط ّو ِر المسيحّية، وحّثيُتهم على الأمان ِة لأر ِضهم وعلى محّبِتها، بالرغ ِم من الصعوبا ِت التي ُيسّبُبها نق ُص الإستقرا ِر والأم ِن. آما ش ّجعُتهم على أنْ يكونوا

راسخين في الإيمان، مّتكليَن على المسيح، مصدِر فرِحنا، وشّجعُتهم على تعمي ِق علاقِتهم الشخصّي ِة مع ُه بالصلاِة، وعلى أنْ يكونوا أيضًا ُمنفتحين على مثالّيا ِت الحياِة والعائل ِة والصداق ِة والتضام ِن ال ُعليا. ولمّا رأي ُت شباًبا مسيحّيي َن ومسلمي َن يحتفلو َن ب ُكلّ تناغٍم، َشّجعُتهمعلىأنْيبنوامًعامستقبَللبناَنوالّشرِقالأوسِطوعلىأنْيت َصّدوا

م ًعا لل ُعن ِف والحر ِب. إ ّن التواف َق والمصالح َة يج ُب أن يتغّلبا على اندفا ِع المو ِت.

صبا َح الأحد، آا َن الوق ُت جلي ًلا حي ُث شار َك الكثيرون في القدا ِس الإله ّي عن َد الواجه ِة البحرّي ِة لبيروت City Center Waterfront ، وحي ُث استمعنا جمي ُعنا إلى الحا ٍن م ع ّ ب ر ٍ ة ، ا ل ت ي َ م َّ ي َ ز ت ْ أ ي ًض ا ب ق ّ ي َ ة ا لإ ح ت ف ا لا ِت .

في حضرِة الكثِير من الأساقف ِة وجم ٍع غفي ٍر من المؤمني َن، قادمي َن من ُآل ِّ َصو ٍب من ال ّشر ِق الأوسط، أرد ُت أنْ أ ُحث َّ الجمي َع على عي ِش الإيما ِن وعلى ال ّشهادِة َل ُه بدو ِن خ و ٍف ، َ م َ ع ا ل ي ق ي ِ ن أ َّ ن َ د ع َ و َ ة ا ل م س ي ح ِّ ي و ا ل ك ن ي س ِ ة ، ع ل ى م ث ا ِ ل ي س و َ ع ، ه َ ي َ ح م ْ ُ ل ا لإ ن ج ي ِ ل إلى الجمي ِع بدو ِن تميّي ٍز. في إطا ٍر مطبو ٍع بنزاعا ٍت مريرٍة، َلَف ُّت الإنتباَه إلى ضرورِة خ د م ِة ا ل س لا ِم و ا ل ع د ا ل ِة ، و ا ل ّت َح ّو ِل إ ل ى أ د ا ِة م ص ا ل ح ٍة و إ ل ى ُب َن ا ِة ش ر ا آ ٍة . ف ي ن ه ا ي ِة ا لإ ح ت ف ا ِل الإفخارست ّي آا َن ل َي الفر ُح بتسلي ِم الإرشا ِد الرسول ِّي الذي يجم ُع ُخلاصا ِت المجم ِع الخا ّص بسينودس الأساقفة من أج ِل ال ّشر ِق الأوسط. َعبْ َر البطارآ ِة والأساقف ِة الّشرقيّيَن واللاتين، وَعبَْر الكهنِة والمكّرسيَن والعلمانّييَن، تريُد هذه الوثيقُة بلوَغ جمي ِع المؤمني َن في تل َك المنطق ِة الحبيب ِة، لتقويِت ِهم في الإيما ِن وفي ال ّشرآ ِة ولتشجي ِعهم ع ل ى ط ر ي ِق ا ل ت ب ش ي ِر ا ل ج د ي ِد ا ل ت ي ل ط ا ل م ا أ ر د ن ا ُه . ب ع َد ا ل ظ ه ر ، ف ي ا ل ك ر س ّي ا ل ب ط ر ي ر آ ّي للّسرياِن الكاثوليك، َفِرحُْت بلقاٍء َمسكون ٍّي َأخو ٍّي مع البطارآِة الأرثوذآس

والأرثوذآس الشرقيّين وممّثل ّي تل َك الكنائ ِس وممّثل ّي الجماعا ِت الكنسّي ِة أيضًا.

أ ُّي ه ا ا لأ ص د ق ا ُء ا لأ ح ّب ا ُء ، ل ق د آ ا َن تْ ا لأ ّي ا ُم ا ل ت ي أ م ض ي ُت ه ا ف ي ل ب ن ا َن ت ج ل ًّي ا ر ا ئ ًع ا ل لإ ي م ا ِن والتدّيِنالقوّي،وعلامًةنبوّيًةللسلاِم.آما َش َّكَلتْلجماعاِتالمؤمنيَنالقادميَنمن ال ّشر ِق الأوسط آ ِّله ُفرص ًة للتفكي ِر والحوا ِر وخا ّص ًة للصلاة م ًعا، ُم َج ِّددي َن الإلتزا َم بتجذي ِر حيات ِهم الشخصّي ِة في المسي ِح. أنا على يقي ٍن أ َّن الشع َب اللبنان ّي، بتكويِن ِه الدين ّي والإجتماع ّي المتعّدِد الوجوِه والمَتدا ِخ ِل في آ ٍن مًعا، سو َف يعَلُم آي َف يشهُد، بانطلاقٍة جديدٍة،للسلاِمالحقيق ِّيالذيُيوَلُد ِمَنالّثقِةباالله.أتمّنىأنْتستطيَعرسائُلالسلاِم والتقديِرالمتع ِّدَدِة،التيأرد ُتإعطاَءها، ُمَساَعَدَة ُح َّكاِمالمنطقِةعلىتحقيِقخطوا ٍت ح ا س م ٍة ن ح َو ا ل ّس لا ِم و ن ح َو ت ف ُّه ٍم أ ف ض َل ل ل ع لا ق ا ِت ب ي َن ا ل م س ي ح ّي ي ن و ا ل م س ل م ي ن . م ن ج ه ت ي ، َس ُأ و ا ِص ُل م ر ا ف ق َة ه ذ ه ا ل ش ع و ِب ا ل ح ب ي ب ِة ب ا ل ص لا ِة ل ك ي ت ب ق ى أ م ي ن ًة لإ ل ت ز ا م ا ت ه ا . َأ ِآ ُل ث م ا َر هذه الزيارِة الرسولّي ِة ونوايا الخي ِر والتطلعا ِت ال َح َّق ِة لل ّشر ِق الأوسط ب ُر َّمت ِه إلى شفاع ِة

الأ ِّممريمالمكّرمِةفيالعديِدمنالمزارا ِتاللبنانّيِةالقديمِة.وُشكًرا.

St John Paul II's reflections on his 1997 apostolic pilgrimage to Lebanon
General Audience, Wednesday 14 May 1997 - in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish

"1. The long-awaited visit to Lebanon finally took place on 10-11 May, during the time when the Church, after the Lord’s Ascension into heaven, is preparing for the Solemnity of Pentecost. She relives as it were the Christian community’s first great novena to the Holy Spirit. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus ordered the Apostles to return to Jerusalem and to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1, 8). Obeying the Lord’s command, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem and, as is written in the Acts of the Apostles, “with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1, 14). They remained together in the same Upper Room where the Eucharist had been instituted; where Christ had appeared to them after the Resurrection, showing his wounds, the signs of his Passion, and where he had breathed on them, saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20, 22-23). The Upper Room, witness to the institution of the Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation, is the place where the Church returns in spirit, invited by the liturgy in these days following the Ascension into heaven. How could I fail to thank God that precisely at this time I was able to meet the Lebanese nation, a meeting I desired for so long a time?

2. The primary reason for this visit was the solemn conclusion of the Synod of Bishops for Lebanon, whose sessions were held in Rome in November and December of 1995. The results of this assembly were gathered into a Post-Synodal Exhortation, a document which I had the joy of signing during my pilgrimage to Lebanon. This very significant event took place at the meeting with young people on Saturday evening, 10 May. The document, which is the Magna Carta as it were of the Church in Lebanon, was signed in the presence of the young people. The fact that it was signed precisely on that occasion has an eloquence all its own. The presence of young people always makes us think of the future. By entrusting the post-synodal document precisely to them, I wished to emphasize that the fulfilment of the tasks indicated by the Synod of Bishops will depend in large part on Lebanese youth. The future of the Church and of the Lebanese nation depends on young people. It is young people who must cross the threshold of the third millennium and lead their country and Church into this new era of faith.

3. Lebanon is a biblical land, with a past reaching back for several millenniums. Its symbol is the cedar tree, which recalls the cedars brought by King Solomon to Jerusalem for the building of the temple. Lebanon is a land where Jesus of Nazareth walked. The Gospel speaks of Christ’s visit to the region of Tyre and Sidon, and within the borders of the so-called Decapolis. Christ taught there and worked a number of miracles. Most memorable of all was the cure of the Canaanite woman’s daughter, when Jesus answered the mother’s request in admiration of her deep faith (cf Mt 15, 21-28). The Lebanese are very aware of the fact that their ancestors heard the Good News from the mouth of Jesus himself.

Down the centuries the Gospel was proclaimed in various ways. Decisive in this regard was the mission of the holy monk Maron, after whom the Maronite Church is named, the Eastern Church most closely linked to the Christian tradition of Lebanon. Maronites however are not the only community. Lebanon, particularly its capital, Beirut, is a place where the faithful of other Patriarchal Catholic Churches reside: Greek Melkites, Armenian Catholics, Syrian Catholics, Chaldeans and Latins. This enriches the Christian life of that country. In a certain sense Lebanon’s vocation is precisely this universal openness and, since Orthodox Churches are found there, its vocation is ecumenism. Having had occasion in the past to meet the representatives of these Churches and Christian Communities in Rome, my visit to Beirut also served to renew those ties of mutual knowledge and friendship.

This was particularly apparent at the solemn Eucharistic celebration on Sunday 11 May, which spiritually gathered all of Lebanon and the whole Church in that country. It is said that not only did Catholic and Orthodox Christians take part, but many Muslims as well. Lebanon is also the homeland of many expressions of the Muslim community: Sunni, Shiites, Druze. Everyone knows how Lebanese Muslims have lived for centuries in profound harmony with Christians, and during my visit great stress was put on the need for this coexistence if the national and cultural identity of the Lebanese nation is to be preserved.

4. The purpose of my pilgrimage was also to support the commitment to this social harmony, as we prayed at the same time for peace. In recent years Lebanon has been the scene of a terrible war, whose entire workings would be hard to explain: a war between Lebanese brethren, which was decisively affected by external forces and influences. The fact that the war has finally ended and the time of reconciliation and reconstruction has begun is extremely important, not only for Lebanon itself but also in the more general perspective of the situation in the Near East.

Lebanon is a small country located in the heart of the Middle East. During my pilgrimage, as on many occasions in recent years, I addressed both the entire Middle East region and all the countries of the international community, asking that they would provide effective guarantees for peace in that country which has already suffered so much. In a certain sense, peace is Lebanon’s basic mission. If it is to fulfil this mission, which stems from its cultural and religious complexity itself, the country has the right to be supported in that task by all who can promote peace in its territory. Only under these conditions can Lebanon be itself, that is, a country where various cultural and religious communities coexist and live together with mutual respect for each other’s identity.

All fundamentalism is foreign to Lebanon’s spirit. It is precisely this which distinguishes it from other countries, where social and political life is strongly influenced by extremism, which often makes unwarranted appeals to religion. Lebanon is an open society. I hope that its citizens, as well as the neighbouring countries, can continue to work together in fostering this openness. Only in this way can Lebanon fulfil its mission, within its own territory and in the great family of nations and societies of the Near East. I entrusted these hopes to the President of the Republic, to all the authorities and to the Churches in Lebanon, as well as to the various communities of Islam, thanking everyone who contributed to the success of the apostolic visit for the great hospitality I received."

(Published on 10 December 2013)

Paroles de Pape Jean-Paul II, Fête de saint François d’Assise
Audience Générale, Mercredi 4 octobre 1989 - in French & Italian

« Donne-nous la paix, Seigneur : en toi nous espérons. »
(Refrain du psaume responsorial.)

"1. Cette invocation qui, non seulement au cours de cette rencontre de prière mais bien des fois — et surtout du Liban —, s’est élevée avec une grande espérance vers le Dieu de toute bonté, reçoit du Rédempteur une force nouvelle: « Que votre cœur ne se trouble pas. N’ayez pas peur… Je vous laisse la paix, je vous donne ma paix. » (Jn 14, 27.)

Dans la confiance sereine que le Seigneur accomplira ses promesses d’une manière toujours supérieure à nos attentes, je désire le supplier avec vous, chers frères et sœurs, de nous combler, nous les croyants, comme tous les citoyens du monde, nos frères en humanité, et les responsables du destin des nations et, tout spécialement, nos frères libanais, de sa bénédiction de paix, d’amour et de grâce.

Nos frères du Liban vivent depuis de nombreuses années au milieu d’une tempête de violences et de peurs. J’entends encore les supplications qui nous parviennent depuis les refuges souterrains de Beyrouth, comme l’appel au secours des jeunes Libanais sur le monte del Gozo, en Espagne, devant des centaines de milliers de jeunes de leur âge.

La grâce du Seigneur, en même temps que ces appels, fera que soit entendu l’impératif qui monte de notre conscience : nous ne pouvons pas demeurer indifférents et inactifs ! Dieu a inscrit au cœur de chacun de nous une loi qui nous met au service de la cause de l’homme et de sa convivance sociale dans la paix et la dignité, dans la liberté et la vérité.

2. La prière est le recours que Dieu nous offre. Unis à nos frères libanais, chrétiens et musulmans, avec décision et humilité, faisons usage de cette prière et demandons : « Père très saint, notre Père, Créateur et Rédempteur, notre Consolateur et notre Sauveur » (saint François, Paraphrase du Notre Père, dans Fonti Francescane, p. 141), sois « proche de ceux qui sont humiliés et opprimés » « pour ranimer leur cœur » (Is 49, 8).

C’est un réconfort pour tous de savoir que Dieu est vraiment aux côtés de l’homme. Car le Seigneur dit : « Au temps de la miséricorde, je l’ai entendu ; au jour du salut, je te suis venu en aide… pour relever le pays. » (Is 49, 8.)

Et il est également réconfortant de savoir que l’homme a lui aussi la capacité de se tenir aux côtés de son frère, d’entendre son appel à l’aide et au secours.

Je suis certain que Dieu tout-puissant écoute nos supplications et j’espère aussi fermement que les responsables des nations sauront répondre comme il convient à l’appel des Libanais et de tous les croyants qui, avec nous, n’ont d’autres arguments que leur prière fervente et leur désir sincère d’apporter leur contribution concrète, afin que le drame du Liban prenne fin le plus vite possible.

3. Chers frères et sœurs, nous sommes certains que Dieu n’est pas indifférent à la souffrance et à la violence qui, trop souvent, accablent les hommes. Ce Père provident ne les abandonne pas ; il les exhorte à abandonner les ténèbres et à suivre la direction qu’il leur indique pour les mener là où la vie se déroule dans la lumière, là où il n’y a plus de crainte (cf. Is 49, 9-10). L’Auteur de la paix unit au don du salut celui de la grâce qui permet d’édifier une société harmonieuse par la pratique du droit et de la justice (cf. Is 11, 3-5).

Le Dieu de toute miséricorde n’a pas hésité à offrir son propre Fils pour réconcilier les hommes avec Dieu et entre eux.

Avec le Rédempteur, demandons au Tout-Puissant de transformer le cœur de tous les êtres humains, de les rendre capables d’accueillir en eux la charité divine et, avec elle, le fruit du pardon.

Le pardon ! Les Libanais ont besoin de la paix et la désirent ardemment. Ils attendent une aide concrète pour obtenir cette paix. Ils ont besoin d’être libres pour pouvoir décider de l’avenir de leur pays.

Mais ils ont aussi un grand besoin de pouvoir recommencer à aimer intensément leur pays et tous leurs concitoyens et, surtout, d’avoir le courage et la force du pardon.

Les souffrances qu’ils ont endurées ont souvent été la cause et la conséquence d’incompréhensions, de haines et de vengeances, et elles ont engendré le manque de confiance et le soupçon.

Un dialogue sincère, qui favorise la paix et l’entente nationales, exige le respect de chacun à l’égard des autres, jusqu’au pardon. Il demande que l’on mette fin aux tentations de l’arrogance, de la soif de domination et du fanatisme.

4. Le Christ, le Serviteur plein de douceur envoyé comme Alliance du peuple saint et Lumière des nations (cf. Is 48, 8-9), nous enseigne combien est grande et bénéfique la force mise au service de la charité. Alors, le cœur humain devient l’habitation de la miséricorde et de la vérité, et l’existence quotidienne se déroule dans la justice et la paix (cf. Ps 84 (85), 11-12). Alors, les conflits et leur charge de désagrégation se dissolvent et l’esprit de chacun s’ouvre à la vérité et à la sagesse de Dieu, se conformant à son dessein de sagesse sur le monde.

5. Je vous demande en même temps de porter votre regard vers saint François d’Assise : c’est sous son patronage que j’ai voulu placer cette Journée universelle de prière pour la paix au Liban. Ce saint, précisément à cause de sa particulière configuration au Rédempteur, a été capable d’embrasser tout homme comme son frère, même celui d’apparence repoussante. Partout où il se rendait, il rétablissait la paix, et toutes les personnes qui le rencontraient et bénéficiaient de son ministère de charité redécouvraient leur dignité de fils de Dieu.

Amis du Liban, vous tous, Libanais — chrétiens et musulmans —, la dignité de créatures de Dieu qui nous est commune, notre qualité de citoyens du monde sont pour nous une obligation de nous mobiliser : le Liban doit vivre dans la paix et libre de toute occupation les Libanais, quelle que soit leur foi religieuse, doivent nourrir la plus vive espérance qu’ils pourront dialoguer avec leurs propres concitoyens et décider ensemble de leur sort, afin qu’il soit conforme à leurs légitimes et justes aspirations.

6. Prions aujourd’hui saint François pour que nos frères libanais puissent vivre sur une terre qui ne soit plus en proie à de violents conflits. Et, parce que la miséricorde et le pardon sont la mesure de la charité du Père céleste, demandons-lui de nous remettre nos dettes comme nous les remettons à nos débiteurs et, comme priait saint François, « ce que, nous, nous ne savons pas pleinement pardonner, toi, Seigneur, fais que nous le pardonnions pleinement, afin que, par amour de toi, nous aimions vraiment nos ennemis et intercédions dévotement auprès de toi, ne rendant à personne le mal pour le mal mais nous efforçant en toi d’être utiles à tous » (saint François, Paraphrases du Notre Père, dans Fonti Francescane, p. 142).

Que la Vierge Marie, qui fut la première demeure de la divine Charité, présente à Dieu nos supplications. Qu’elle les soutienne maternellement de sa prière et obtienne pour tous les Libanais qui l’invoquent comme «Notre-Dame du Liban » d’être libérés de toute tribulation et de pouvoir parcourir ensemble les chemins de la justice et de la paix."