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Web Release
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Web Release
The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik: A Tribute To Edmond Rizk For The Donation Of His National Archives
The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) honored H.E. Edmond Rizk during a tribute ceremony in the John Paul II Amphitheater, at the invitation of Most Reverend Father Abbot Hady Mahfouz, superior general of the Lebanese Maronite Order (OLM) and chancellor of USEK, and Father Talal Hachem, president of USEK to mark the donation of Rizk's personal archive to the University library. The ceremony was held in the presence of Lebanese President, General Joseph Aoun, and First Lady Neemat Aoun represented by His Excellency the Minister of Information, Dr. Paul Morcos; Former President Michel Sleiman; the Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam, represented by his wife, Ambassador Sahar Baassiri Salam; the two former First Ladies, Solange Gemayel and Mouna Haraoui; the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon, Elias Bou Saab; the former Prime Minister, Tammam Salam; the Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, represented by Archbishop Boulos al-Sayah; the Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, represented by Sheikh Muhammad Assaf; the Sheikh Akl of the Druze Unitarian Community, Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, represented by Dr. Nazih Abu Shahin; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Youssef Rajji; representatives of former Prime Ministers; Mrs. Bahia Hariri, the leader of the Lebanese Kataeb Party, Sheikh Sami Gemayel; the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, the Mufti of Tripoli and the North, Sheikh Muhammad Imam; in addition to a number of former ministers, current and former members of parliament, party leaders and their representatives, diplomatic, judicial, spiritual, union, party, military, security, political, municipal, and media figures and their representatives, the family of the honoree, and the people of his region, Jezzine… This unique event pays tribute to a man who has dedicated his life to speech, determination, and Lebanese sovereignty, and his donation of valuable archives to pass to future generations. Indeed, it is a tribute to a rich national and cultural journey of over six decades during which Edmond Rizk occupied various public positions, including Lebanese MP for over 24 years, and holding different portfolios in governments at various periods, and being a direct witness and player in crucial moments in Lebanon's recent history. Testimonials and Documentary The journalist Walid Abboud was the master of ceremony, presenting and moderating the event, which offered an array of testimonies from important national and intellectual personalities. In order of appearance: Fr. Professor Georges Hobeika, President of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), H.E. Mr. Rashid Derbas, Dr. Mona Fayad, H.E. Mr. Joseph Hachem, Mrs. Hayat Arslan, H.E. Dr. Adnan Al-Sayed Hussein, H.E. Mr. Abbas El Halabi, and Dr. Nizar Younis. The ceremony also included a documentary highlighting Rizk's rich career in the fields of journalism, legislation, politics, and national service, where he left his unique mark. Rizk At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Edmond Rizk, in a moving speech, recalled the different stations journey, putting forward crucial moments in his personal and public life. He said: 'I am the son of the Maronite Lebanese Order, the man of its monastery, the student of its school, and the teacher in its institute. I am proud of this belonging.' Rizk portrayed time, comparing it to a mirror that reflects clear vision and rooted conviction, emphasizing that his Lebanese Christian affiliation was never hermetic, but that it was lived as a deep faith in the Lebanese national partnership and respect for pluralism. He said, 'For 82 years, since my early teens, my constructive integration into my Lebanese Arab identity and Christian faith has been an entity based on the mutual recognition and responsible partnership.' Rizk also spoke of his long experience as a parliamentarian and his political background, emphasizing his attachment to the principles of the Constitution and the National Accord Document signed in Taef in 1989, as well as his refusal to participate in any power that violates constitutional rules or that is incompatible with the principles of jurisdiction and justice. He said, 'I was a member of Parliament for a quarter of a century and I did not vote on any law that was unconstitutional or unfair…. I have put everything into the rule of law, justice, and dignity.' Despite all his personal pain and suffering, he remained resilient, a witness to freedom, sovereignty, and independence for the country. At the end of his speech, he presented his personal archives, a repertoire of seventy years of experience in public affairs and intellectual output, reflecting various periods and key events, as a gift to the youth of Lebanon for easy access to serve for research and contemplation to document an eternal national memory, and praising the role of the Maronite Lebanese Order and the USEK in preserving and protecting the national memory. Archives It should be noted that the personal archives of Edmond Rizk, donated to the USEK Library, include a rich wide spectrum of documents, including over 80 hours of voice recordings, over 200 videos, and thousands of documents, articles, interviews, and other writings documenting the modern political, social, and cultural history of Lebanon. This archive has been carefully collected and grouped over the years by the Rizk family. USEK, thanks to its technical equipment and its specialized team at the Phoenix Center for Lebanese Studies (PCLS), will work on digitizing and classifying this archive for free access to the public.
The National
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
'We need hope for the Middle East': What the region's clergy are looking for in a new pontiff
In Aramaic, English and Arabic, Christians from Iraq's Chaldean community prayed for Pope Francis during a private mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, where their beloved pontiff was buried a day earlier. Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, travelled from Iraq for the funeral and led the mass in the majestic church with its Corinthian colonnades and delicate frescoes. Packed with devoted worshippers, the service was a testament to Pope Francis's popularity in the Middle East. His 2021 visit to Iraq, the first papal trip to the country, followed years of war and persecution under ISIS rule and remains a memorable moment for Iraq's dwindling Christian communities. Speaking to The National, eight members of the Middle Eastern clergy called for the next pope to preserve Francis's legacy by maintaining the Vatican's outreach to the region and its efforts to bring peace. 'We will always remember him in our prayers. All the people of Iraq respect and love him for this,' Bishop Basel Salim Yaldo, the Curial Bishop of Baghdad and co-ordinator of the visit, told The National after the mass. 'We hope the next Pope will visit our country because we need hope for the Middle East." Bishop Yaldo is one of many representatives of the Eastern clergy who have praised Pope Francis's legacy in the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity and now home to a patchwork of Christian communities. His papacy was marked by iconic moments, from his daily calls with a Gaza parish during the war, to his historic first visit to the Arabian Peninsula, where he signed the Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity with Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb, the highest authority among Sunni Muslims, committing to interfaith dialogue. The clergy members who spoke to The National reflected on the void left by Pope Francis and the uncertainty surrounding his succession. 'Sometimes the church moves with quick steps; sometimes it does not move forward at all," Father Jad Kossaify, procurator of the Lebanese Maronite Order to the Holy See, told The National. "With Pope Francis, it made giant strides. A new pope might remain silent on some issues where Francis had been a driving force. 'His legacy could be at risk; it all depends on the style of the next pope, whether he is close to Pope Francis's inclusive theology. Each Pope has his own personality and charisma and, as of now, everything is possible." For Lebanese priest Rafic Warsha, the procurator of the Maronite Patriarch to the Holy See, one of the most notable legacies to be pursued by the next pontiff is Pope Francis's commitment to interfaith dialogue. The historic pledge of fraternity signed by Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar in 2019 called for an end to wars in the Middle East and for peaceful coexistence among nations, religions and races. 'This document is a cornerstone,' Mr Warsha told The National. 'It must be put into practice even more and be taught in schools and universities, and all generations must work to uphold it'. Religious representatives across the Middle East also praised Pope Francis's personal engagement to the region and his leading role in promoting peace, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon. 'We need a Pope who can help stop these wars, whether through spiritual or diplomatic means; the Vatican has an important political role to play,' Athanasius Firas Dardar, the Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Vicar in Basra and the Arabian Gulf, told The National. 'Pope Francis could serve as a model for the next pontiff,' said Archibishop Dardar, who travelled from Iraq. In November, Pope Francis called for an investigation to determine whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza could be classified as genocide. His stance was vigorously criticised by Israel, which sent a low-level delegation to his funeral, marking a low ebb in relations with the Vatican. His position on Gaza has also been divisive even within the clergy itself, and while calls for peace are expected from any new pontiff, such a specific stance is not to be taken for granted, members of the clergy say. 'He even called a priest in Gaza every single day, something that had never before been done by a Pope. He stepped somewhat outside the usual protocol and tradition,' Bishop Warsha said. Flaviano Rami Kabalan, Syriac Catholic bishop and procurator of the Patriarchate to the Holy See, said he remains confident any new pontiff will show special attention to the region. 'After all, the Middle East is the land of the first evangelisation, from where it spread to the entire world,' he told The National. The new pontiff is expected to face a series of challenges. Pope Francis's liberal positions, including efforts to reform the Church's central governing body through decentralisation and by giving greater roles to lay people and women, shook the Catholic Church deeply. 'He left a deep and complex legacy, with the idea that every priest should be serving – and not be served,' said Naim Khalil, procurator for the Basilian Salvatorians, a monastic order within the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Although he was popular among the people, the late Pope faced significant opposition within parts of the clergy for breaking with centuries-old traditions, exacerbating certain tensions. In the Middle East, despite being widely cherished for his message of peace, he also clashed with the Eastern churches, known for their more conservative stances. Chris John, a pilgrim of Iraqi origin travelling from California, told The National he hopes for a more conservative Pope. 'I would say traditionally our values are a bit more conservative in our Chaldean Church,' he explained. His successor will also face the burdensome task of navigating between conservatives and liberals in a polarised church. But the "Pope of the People" knew how to address everyone, beyond the divides. 'He knew how to put on his Middle Eastern goggles,' Father Jad Kossaify said. Khalil Karam, president of the Lebanese Maronite League, told The National the succession marks a crucial moment for the Catholic Church. 'We are in a period where the church is questioning many things and he had the courage to address many taboo subjects,' he said. 'The Middle East needs a pope like him, someone with the courage of his convictions – even if it doesn't please everyone." The Vatican has said cardinals will begin the process of choosing Pope Francis's successor on May 7.
