NNA - The Church remains committed to its message aimed at full loyalty to the fatherland and openness towards other religious faiths, Maronite patriarch Beshara Rahi preached during his commemoration of St. Maroun's Birthday service at Bkirki today.



The patriarch who was aided by three prelates told a congregation of top-ranking religious and secular officials that Maroun's saintly mission had been marred by a mystical lifestyle steeped in humanity."He stressed Church autonym from Byzantium and Muslim empires. The patriarch prided his church for being the sole Catholic one and for long in the Middle East and for staying ideologically free from any external influence".



He urged his flock to uphold spiritualism in the face of rampant consumerism by committing first to the 40-day-long fast preceding Easter. By emulating Jesus Christ, he went on, Maronites tend to free themselves from what he termed as "deviant temptations of servitude." They should stick to Pope Benedict's 2012 injunction and St. Maroun's veneration of the Virgin in quest of a better abode and community".



Among itinerant Bkirki visitors have been Melkite Greek Catholic patriarch Gregarious the III Laham and leading Maroun Birthday service worshippers.



Druze Akl Na'eem Qassem also contacted the patriarch over matters of public and religious concern.



================G.G./R.K.