Lebanon bid farewell on Thursday to former Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir following a state funeral attended by top officials, including President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian representing President Emmanuel Macron.
The Lebanese government had declared two days of mourning starting Wednesday, during which flags were being flown at half-staff. Thursday was a day off.
A mass was celebrated in Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite church, by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.
Aoun conferred upon the late Patriarch, who died Sunday at the age of 98, the Lebanese Order of Merit high citation in recognition of his contributions to Lebanon.
The Papal delegate, President of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, and Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari, representing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, attended the funeral in Bkirki, where crowds of partisan and popular delegations gathered at the outer courtyard to pay homage to the late Patriarch.
“We came today, commissioned by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques because Patriarch Sfeir is one of the main pillars of peace and coexistence in Lebanon. We always support his message in the world and Arab region,” the Saudi Ambassador said.
Top politicians, including head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea, Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh and former PM Fouad Saniora, also attended the funeral.
"The late Patriarch shall only be absent in body but shall live on through his deeds," Rahi mourned Sfeir at the funeral mass.
He deemed the late Patriarch as a personality that does not repeat itself and a great national loss.
"The late Patriarch strengthened the bonds of national unity, rebuilt the state by eliminating the power of statelets and promoted national coexistence," Rahi added.
