Metropolitan Elias Audi of Beirut and its dependencies for the Greek Orthodox conducted a mass at Saint George Cathedral, attended by a crowd of believers. He inquired, "Is it not the duty of every official to show goodwill towards their nation by treating every citizen well? Is it not a call for equality among people, and to serve the nation through serving every citizen? Is there any better service than securing a decent living for the citizen in a safe and stable homeland? Yet, the citizen suffers while those in power live in a world far from reality, in the absence of a president whom the deputies found no need to elect. Their negligence was encouraged by the citizens' failure to hold them accountable and question them. When a person votes for a deputy, it is because they are convinced by their program and believe their promises. Is it not their duty later to question them about what they promised? Isn't this at the heart of democratic life? Therefore, hold your deputies accountable to evaluate their performance. Hold them accountable for their failure to fulfill their constitutional duties. The first of these duties is electing a president for the country. Has any citizen held a deputy accountable for their failure to perform this duty?"
He added: "We need statesmen, not power grabbers who exploit it to oppress people and serve their interests. We need statesmen who govern Lebanon with wisdom and impartiality, who maintain its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and do not allow any interference, guardianship, or subjugation. Every passing day increases the magnitude of the crisis, and time cannot be regained. Time goes by, and the brain drain increases, while non-Lebanese individuals multiply, and there may not be a Lebanese left to implement their failed policies on."
