"Martyrs' Square became the symbolic backdrop for interfaith solidarity amid the country's political paralysis. Pope Leo has called for coexistence during the second day of his visit to Lebanon, gathering clerics from across the religious spectrum on both sides of a former civil war dividing line, and appealing for unity in a region fractured by violence."
"In an age when coexistence can seem like a distant dream, the people of Lebanon, while embracing different religions, stand as a powerful reminder that unity, reconciliation, and peace are possible, he said. May every bell toll; every adhan, every call to prayer blend into a single, soaring hymn, he added, using the Arabic term for the Muslim call to prayer."
"Martyrs' Square home to a monument honouring those who died for Lebanon's independence, and later a focal point of mass protests demanding political change has long symbolised the country's struggle to overcome sectarianism. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said the location showed the contrast between the image of interfaith unity amid Lebanon's entrenched politics. Religious leaders coming together under one tent look like they are speaking with one voice, but the reality is, this is a deeply divided country, she said."
Pope Leo visited Martyrs' Square in Beirut and called for coexistence, gathering clerics from across religious lines and appealing for unity in a region fractured by violence. Standing at a site that once marked the green line between Muslim west and Christian east during the civil war, he said fear, distrust and prejudice do not have the final word. He urged religious harmony, wishing that bells and adhan blend into a single hymn. Martyrs' Square, home to a monument for independence and a focal point for protests, symbolizes Lebanon's struggle to overcome sectarianism amid entrenched politics and national paralysis.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]