Australian Maronites are mourning a priest killed in southern Lebanon on Monday after an Israeli tank fired on a residential home where he had rushed to assist wounded parishioners. Source: The Catholic Leader.
Fr Pierre al-Rahi, 48, died from injuries sustained during a second round of shelling in the village of Qlayaa, a historic Maronite enclave near the Israeli border.
Brisbane Maronite priest Fr Fadi Salame was friends with Fr al-Rahi and previously held the same parish priest role in the village, celebrating the sacraments together when he returned for visits.
“(Fr al-Rahi) served his parish out of love and he consecrated his life to … defending the village,” he said.
He said the news of Fr al-Rahi’s death had been difficult to process.
“He died following the example of the Master by defending his people,” he said.
“He was called by God to be a martyr.”
The incident began when an Israeli Merkava tank targeted a house in the village. According to local reports, the initial shell wounded the homeowners, a husband and wife.
Fr al-Rahi and several neighbours immediately rushed to the scene to help them. As they were tending to the victims, the tank fired a second time on the house.
Fr al-Rahi was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after. Six other people were injured in the attack.
Just one day before his death, Fr al-Rahi spoke to the France24 television channel from the steps of his church, reaffirming his commitment to his community despite the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
“We are forced to stay despite the danger, when we defend our land, and we do so peacefully,” he told reporters. “None of us carries weapons. All of us carry peace and goodness and love”.
Fr Salame met Fr al-Rahi about 14 years ago. Before Fr Salame’s time as parish priest, the village was served by the same priest for 57 years, who survived many conflicts and died during the pandemic.
Fr Salame too survived many conflicts as priest, including the 2006 Lebanon War.
“But this time … just the first bomb to hit the village killed (Fr al-Rahi),” he said.
It was clear to him that “God had called him to be a martyr”, he said.
Fr Salame said he would be offering Mass for Fr al-Rahi this coming Sunday.
FULL STORY
‘Called by God to be a martyr’ – Brisbane Maronite priest mourns friend killed in Israeli blast (By Joe Higgins, The Catholic Leader)
