"The state of corruption, ethical degradation, political feudalism that
the country is suffering from, the prioritization of personal and
sectarian interests is hindering the enhancement of the state
institutions and pose a deadly social leprosy". This is what Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai said in his weekly Sunday sermon at the patriarchal seat of Bkerké, with an obvious reference to the political and social situation in Lebanon.
Inspired by the Gospel of the healing of the leper, the Primate of the Maronite Church deplored, among other things, theft and waste of state resources and public funds, endemic practice of bribes and the imposition of taxes, which also undermine "the willingness to invest and to finance development projects in the region".
Among other national plagues listed by the Patriarch during the Sunday mass – at the presence of Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio in Lebanon - the Patriarch also mentioned the failure to approve the salary scale during the past years, the obstruction of the endorsement of a new vote law that is catered to meet the aspirations of the people and the negligence towards the waste crisis issue "all present cases of fatal social leprosy", he concluded.