Local support is growing for those killed, injured or displaced in Lebanon as the rise of violence in the country’s south between Israel and Hezbollah spreads to the rest of the country. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
In Sydney’s west, Lebanese Independence Day was marked on November 22 with a “journey of peace” walk from Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral in Harris Park to St Raymond’s Maronite Catholic parish in Auburn, where Mass was offered for Lebanon and the Holy Land.
There, a giant Lebanese flag formed by 10,452 red, white and green balloons (the number of square kilometres across the country) was laid out in the church carpark.
Independence celebrations began the previous evening when a concert held by the parish’s children raised money for the Lebanon Appeal, a joint initiative of the Australian Bishops’ Conference, Caritas Religious Australia and Caritas.
Over four days, St Raymond’s was kept open for visitors who had the opportunity after seeing the flag to pray for peace and light a candle in the church in the presence of relics of the parish saint.
Parish priest Fr Charbel Abboud said he believed the flag was the world’s largest to be made of balloons and the two-day construction effort, made possible with a team of parishioners, was to encourage prayers for “the martyrs and the innocents” affected by war and persecution and for younger generations to remain faithful in supporting their suffering homeland.
“The red colour represents the blood of the martyrs, white the snow on the mountains, peace and purity, and the cedar the citizens of Lebanon and their resilience, while for Christians the cedar also represents the Blessed Virgin Mary,” he explained.
Maronite Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay OLM and Melkite Bishop Robert Rabbat urged all Catholics to offer prayers and humanitarian aid, saying that a “painful cross” had been laid on people in Lebanon.
Donate to the Lebanon Appeal here.
FULL STORY
Sydney Catholics show their love for Lebanon (By Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
RELATED COVERAGE
Over 130,000 displaced people being supported by Caritas Lebanon response (Caritas Australia)
