NNA - Obscurantist forces are bent on dismantling nation-states in the name of democracy and the Arab Spring, Maronite patriarch Beshara Rahi, told his congregation in Bkirki today.



Rahi and, in his homily on Easter's day 2, welcomed French ambassador Patrice Pauli and senior clergymen saying today's service is dedicated to "France's good intensions" well-wishing both people and president the best of peace, prosperity, joy and security.



The patriarch remains steadfast in sticking to the precepts of Christian faith despite the present state of Church-ridden crisis. He urged concerted action by both French and Lebanese for the dignity of all man, women and humanity at large.



He paid tribute to the French peace-keeping role and sacrifices within UNIFIL ever since arriving here back in 1978. He criticized obscurantist sponsored by a number of regional powers (without naming them).



The patriarch defended indigenous Oriental Christian rights and contributions to local development arguing that they've been here for 2 millennia. He warned the French against obscurantist attempts at sowing seeds of religious strife. His primary weapon in facing them is faith and helping the alienated, the oppressed and the poor including those displaced into Lebanon.



Rahi invoked the memory of Kings Louis XI and XIV who laid the foundations of Franco-Lebanese friendship and appealed to well-intentioned Frenchmen and women to confront war and oppression here and elsewhere in the World.


=====G.G.