Rahi Thanks Qatar For Providing Land to Build Saint Charbel Church: To Bolster Bilateral Ties

19 Apr 2018

Lebanon - Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Rahi arrived at Doha airport where he was received by Minister of State, Hamad bin Abdul Aziz Al-Kuwari, Director of the Protocol Department Ambassador, Ibrahim Yousef Fakhr, Lebanese Ambassador to Qatar, Hassan Najm, and a diplomatic delegation.

Upon his arrival, Rahi thanked Qatar for offering a land to build the Church of Saint Charbel. "This strengthens ties between the two countries as saints bring people together," he said.

"We as Lebanese should bolster these ties," Rahi added, greeting Lebanese nationals residing in Doha: "We are proud of you wherever you are. We thank Qatar for welcoming our Diaspora and treating them as if they were in their own country. We have always heard that Lebanese work hard in Qatar to secure their livelihood, but they also have utmost loyalty to this State and contribute greatly to its growth and prosperity."

Al-Kuwari, in turn, welcomed Rahi saying "This visit carries cultural and religious meanings and thus great importance. We love the Lebanese Diaspora and appreciate its role in the prosperity of Qatar."

He also deemed laying a cornerstone for the Church "a sign of the tolerance that Qatar enjoys."