Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi stressed that a nation cannot stand on two decisions and that sovereignty is indivisible, in a homily delivered yesterday to a gathering of faithful and official delegations.
Al-Rahi presided over the Sunday Mass of the 14th Sunday of Pentecost at the Patriarchate in Dimane, with delegations from law faculty lawyers, the Our Lady of Ilige Association, and representatives from several towns.
In his homily titled 'One is Required', Al-Rahi emphasised that the state alone must hold sovereignty and decision-making over all Lebanese territory, and that the army and legitimate institutions must guarantee the unity of the nation.
Al-Rahi said: 'A nation cannot stand on two decisions, the state cannot be stable with parallel powers, and sovereignty is indivisible', clarifying that sovereignty means extending state authority over all territory and decision-making rests solely with legitimate institutions.
He pointed out that Lebanon suffers from an abundance of disputes, interests and competing voices, calling for a return to basics rather than preoccupation with multiple files with no clear direction.
Al-Rahi called for addressing national files away from political and sectarian calculations, and stressed that justice must be one and neither sectarian nor selective.
Al-Rahi stated that ongoing negotiations regarding the South have not yet reached the desired solution, expressing his hopes for a lasting resolution that preserves Lebanon and its rights and leads to a halt in aggression and withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
