MARONITE PATRIARCH SFEIR THRUST INTO LIMELIGHT

Lebanon's political wranglings thrust Sfeir into limelight
Bkirki sees renewed influence in deeply divided scene
By Inter Press Service (Mona Alami)

Monday, August 11, 2008

BEIRUT: Bkirki towers atop the coastal Lebanese city of Jounieh, a white mansion that serves as the refuge of the Maronite patriarch. The century-old construction seems to shine amid the shrubbery, contrasting against the pristine blue sky. Its story is as ancient as Lebanon's, and reflective of its diverse past.

The history of the Lebanese Maronites, a branch of the Syriac Eastern Catholic Church dating back to the fifth century, has been punctuated with adversity. The order, the name of which originates from Maronite patriarch John Marron, currently reaches across the globe, dovetailing the emigration of Christian Lebanese to the United States, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and South America.

"Some 76 patriarchs have led the Maronite Christian community over the years," says Antoine Saad, author of "76th Maronite Patriarch: Monseigneur Nasrallah Sfeir."

Their leadership has proven a complex, if not perilous, exercise in a region mostly dominated by Muslims and where Christians have become, over time, a minority. In spite of the absence of accurate statistics, Christians are believed to constitute about one-third of the population in Lebanon (out of about four million), a figure dwindling away with each subsequent war and political crisis.

Today, Lebanese patriarchs are elected by an electoral college in a similar manner to that of the Pope. This democratic process has along the years rendered Syria, Lebanon's powerful neighbor and one-time occupier, wary of Maronite patriarchs, especially considering the pivotal political role the leader of the Maronite church plays.

Since the establishment of Lebanon under the French mandate system in 1920, Lebanon has had as many as five patriarchs, each of whom participated significantly in the country's political scene.

More here: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=94956
Also: http://bkerkelb.org/english/