Lebanese man ordained on the day his parents were murdered speaks about forgiveness

“What is happening in Lebanon today, unfortunately, is that the world is silent and, as they say, 'green light' for this violence,” said Bishop Mounir Khairallah, Eparch of Batroun of the Maronites, on October 5, 2024, at a press conference in the Vatican. With a moving personal testimony, the Lebanese bishop, who is attending the Synod on Synodality, thanked Pope Francis for placing the question of forgiveness at the center of the event.

Bishop Khairallah from Batroun, north of Beirut, represents the Maronite Church at the Synod on Synodality. While his country has been under bombardment and attacks by the Israeli army for several days, he described his presence in Rome as “a heartbreaking experience” and reassured the audience that his “heart remained in Lebanon”.

The bishop stressed the importance of his presence in Rome and highlighted the fact that Pope Francis insisted on the dimension of forgiveness in his speech at the opening of the synod.