Pope lauds Lebanon's "exemplary" religious coexistence

Feb 20, 2010, 14:04 GMT

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI in a meeting Saturday with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, praised the peaceful coexistence in Lebanon between various religious communities, including Druze, Christians and and Muslims.

Hope was expressed 'that the country (Lebanon), through the exemplary coexistence of the various religious communities ... may continue to be a 'message' for the region of the Middle East and for the whole world,' the Vatican said in a statement issued after the morning talks.

In a newspaper interview hours before the meeting, Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, said he shares the pontiff's concern for the Middle East's dwindling Christian communities, in particular those in Iraq where many continue to flee abroad and are often targets of Islamist militant attacks.

Benedict received Hariri at the Vatican Apostolic Palace where, 'in an atmosphere of great cordiality,' their talks focused on Lebanon and the broader situation in the Middle East, the Vatican statement said.

'Having then highlighted the need to find a just and global solution to the conflicts affecting that region, reference was made to the importance of intercultural and inter-religious dialogue for the promotion of peace and justice,' the statement added.

The two leaders also recalled 'the importance of the presence and activities of Christians in the country.'

Hariri expressed 'great appreciation for the contribution made by the Catholic Church for the benefit of all society, especially through her educational, health care and aid institutions.'

The Lebanese premier also held separate talks with the Vatican's second-highest official, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. He also met with the Holy See's equivalent of a foreign minister, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.

In terms of Lebanon's constitution, the three highest state offices must be occupied by representatives from three different religious groupings, with the president a Maronite Christian, the premier a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim.