Lebanon

Lebanese Christians in Debel are celebrating the gift of a new statue of Jesus on the cross after a recent act of desecration by two Israeli soldiers drew global outrage.

During their Jan. 13 meeting, the diplomats discussed the “ongoing crisis in the region, the political and ecclesial condition of each country, the signs of hope that can be glimpsed in some, the serious humanitarian situations faced by the people most affected by the conflicts, and the need for solidarity from the international community,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Under the terms of the ceasefire — which took effect Nov. 27 and which essentially recaps the 2006 U.N Resolution 1701 that ended the previous conflict between Israel and Hezbollah — fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will halt in what President Joe Biden called a “permanent cessation of hostilities.”

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Pope Francis expressed his ongoing concern for the political and economic turmoil Lebanon is experiencing and his conviction that Lebanon has a special role to play in the Middle East.

Advocates say action is needed to stop the hemorrhaging of Christians from their biblical homelands, particularly Lebanon and Iraq, as safety, poor governance and economic crises imperil their future.

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Asked about his meeting March 6 in Najaf with Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, an authority figure for Shiite Muslims in Iraq and around the world, Pope Francis said it “was good for my soul” and was another step on the path of promoting greater understanding and cooperation with Muslims.