Daily Star – Lebanon, Lebanon

Lebanese leaders to attend funeral of Pope John Paul II

Condolences to Christians pour in from across the Middle East
By Therese Sfeir
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 05, 2005

BEIRUT: President Emile Lahoud will attend the funeral of Pope
John Paul II in Rome as the head of a delegation to include Prime
Minister-designate Omar Karami, Speaker Nabih Berri and Deputy Speaker
Issam Fares, according to news reports Monday. Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Butros Sfeir is also to leave within the coming days to
attend the ceremony. Despite his participation in the last conclave
to elect a pope, Sfeir will not be taking part in the secret selection
process this time due to an age restriction for participation.

Meanwhile, condolences continue to pour in from across the Middle
East as prominent figures from all religions and walks of life pay
their respects to the late Pontiff.

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia issued a statement Monday saying:
“His Holiness Pope John Paul II will remain an outstanding figure in
the modern history of Christianity.”

It added: “His openness to other religions and his continuous advocacy
for justice, human rights and freedom made him an exceptional figure
of great achievements.”

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas also conveyed its condolences to
the Christians in Palestine and the entire Arab world on the passing
of the Pope. In a statement issued Sunday, Hamas said it hoped that
the Vatican would follow in the late Pope’s path and continue to
champion the Palestinian cause.

It said: “We hope that the Catholic Church would always support our
people and our cause and would seek to defend Palestinian rights.”

Locally, Lebanon’s Economic Forum conveyed its condolences to the
Christians in the country and the Arab world on the death of the
pontiff.

Forum member Zouheir Khatib said Monday: “The pope had always called
for unity, supported weak countries and stood against the American
invasion of Iraq.”

Beirut MP Mohammed Qabbani echoed the words of many on Monday,
saying that John Paul II played a major role in opening dialogue and
promoting peace. Qabbani added that the Pontiff had “loved Lebanon
and considered it as an example of unity in the region.”

Zahrani MP Michel Moussa described the late Catholic leader as a
“white revolution in the Church, who promoted dialogue between the
different religions.”

The Lebanese Greek Orthodox League also conveyed its condolences to
the world’s Catholics, particularly to the Lebanese Catholic Church
on the death of Pope John Paul II.

In a Monday statement, it said: “The Pope was the advocate of truth
and the messenger of love and peace.”

In yet another statement issued Monday, outgoing Labor Minister
Assem Qanso said: “The death of the pope is a big loss to the world,
particularly to Lebanon and the East.”

He added that John Paul II had always stood against racism and launched
productive dialogue between the world’s three largest religions.

Baalbek-Hermel MP Hussein Husseini expressed his deep sorrow and said
the Lebanese will never forget the words of the pope when he said:
“Lebanon is more than a country, it is a message.”