NNA - Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rahi, thanked Pope Benedict for his solidarity with the peoples of the eastern Mediterranean. This came upon Bkirki's celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of Caritas in Lebanon.

The Patriarch was assisted in officiating over Sunday mass service by senior church clerics. Attending the service at the chapel of the Resurrection were minister of the Interior Marwan Charbel and a group of parliamentarians.

In his welcoming word, Maronite priest Simon Faddoul, paid tribute to Caritace's charity work in Lebanon during the last 40 years. He equated the work that the Charity has been carrying out during all those years with alms giving to the poor and for free.

The patriarch reportedly held a horizons' tour with the minister of Interior Marwan Charbel over president Sleiman's most recent effort to call the round table of national dialogue between Lebanese protagonists into session. The Patriarch also briefed the minister over his meetings with Italian and Vatican officials during his last trip to Rome.



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