Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai presided over the Divine Liturgy at Saint George Maronite Cathedral in central Beirut in memory of the martyrs and the injured from the Beirut port explosion on the third anniversary of the blast. He was assisted by Bishop of Beirut Paul Abdel Sater and bishops Michel Aoun and Paul Matta, with the presence of Papal Nuncio Monsignor Paulo Borgi and a group of bishops from Beirut.
Patriarch Rai condemned attempts to conceal the truth, stating: "No matter how much people try to hide the truth, there will come a day when all the papers hiding it from sight will fall. The truth they are trying to conceal by obstructing the investigation for three years pertains to the identity of those responsible for the explosion, the storage of ammonium nitrate in the port of Beirut, and of course its source, route, and how it was kept, as well as the negligence in handling it upon being informed of its presence and not removing it or returning it to its origin."
He described the political figures who pretend to be innocent while evading accountability before the investigating judge as being "hypocritical." He asserted, "If you are innocent, why are you evading the inquiry and obstructing the investigation?"
He added, "This truth is not buried as if it were dead; rather, it cries out to the consciences of all those responsible for the tragedy of August 4, 2020, just as God's voice cried out to Cain, the killer of his brother Abel, day and night, in sleep and in wakefulness: 'Cain, where is your brother Abel? What have you done? The blood of your brother cries out to me from the ground.' Today, Abel is the 235 victims, around five thousand injured and disabled, and thousands of homes, churches, places of worship, institutions, shops, and hotels that were destroyed, affecting half the capital and its suburbs."
He questioned, "How can one remain silent about this disaster, while those directly or indirectly concerned evade the judiciary with political cover? Let us not forget what happened at the moment of the explosion: there were those who heard and saw, and there were statements made at that time which were later removed from media discussion."
He continued, "We offer this Divine Liturgy at the same time that our beloved ones offered their sacrifice in that terrible hour. We offer it for the peace of the souls of the victims, for the healing of the injured and disabled, for the consolation of their families, to reveal the truth that remains hidden, to apply justice, and to rule on fair compensations for the affected. At the same time, we join the hundreds of families who still grieve their loved ones and cry out for truth and justice, and the thousands of families suffering from the devastation that has displaced them from their homes, and those who suffer from injuries among their members. We thank His Holiness Pope Francis, who mentioned during last Sunday’s Angelus prayer the disaster of the port explosion and prayed for the victims and their families who are seeking truth and justice. He hopes that the complex Lebanese crisis finds a solution that befits Lebanon's history and the values of the Lebanese people, and concluded by reminding us that Lebanon is also a message."
He added, "What pains these families and pains us more is the indifference of state officials, who are preoccupied with their petty interests and calculations. Unfortunately, they are unconcerned about those still lying in pain in hospitals or at home, some of whom have been in a coma for three years, while others need surgeries and long-term treatments that they cannot bear the financial burden of. What can be said about the damaged buildings and homes that have displaced their residents, who are unable to repair them? But God does not abandon His children in the world as victims of injustice and actions that hinder and halt the work of the investigating judge with formal and successive delays that have tied his hands for three years. There must be a breakthrough in this wall.
We consider the demand of the families of the victims for an international committee to investigate the facts, which will assist the investigating judge in completing his mission, to be justified. We urge countries to provide Lebanon with any information, investigations, and satellite images they have, and we demand they put an end to political interference in the investigation files."
