Bechara Boutros al-Rahi: Difference between revisions

|honorific_prefix=His Beatitude and Eminence

Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, born {{Birth date and age|1940|2|25}}, is a Lebanese prelate and the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East since 2011, leading one of the largest Eastern Catholic communities in communion with Rome. Ordained a priest in 1967 and consecrated a bishop in 1986, he was elevated to cardinal in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. Renowned for his moderate theology and advocacy for Christian-Muslim coexistence in Lebanon, reflected in his motto "Communio et caritas" ("Communion and charity"), al-Rahi has navigated Lebanon’s complex political landscape, criticizing Hezbollah’s dominance and promoting peace amid regional conflicts. His leadership has bolstered the Maronite Church’s global presence, though his age (85 in 2025) and recent hip surgery on April 20, 2025, following a fall during Easter Mass, render him ineligible to vote in the 2025 papal conclave following Pope Francis’ death on April 21, 2025.

Al-Rahi’s tenure has focused on preserving Maronite identity, fostering interreligious dialogue, and addressing Lebanon’s economic and political crises, earning praise for his diplomatic outreach but criticism for perceived political alignments, particularly on Syrian and Hezbollah issues. His academic background in canon and civil law from the Pontifical Lateran University and his diplomatic engagements with global leaders underscore his influence in the Middle East. While not a papal contender due to his age and regional focus, al-Rahi’s voice as a Middle Eastern cardinal carries weight in Church discussions on peace and ecumenism. As Patriarch recovering from surgery, his role in the post-Francis Church is limited to symbolic and regional significance.

Bechara Boutros al-Rahi was born on February 25, 1940, in Himlaya, a Maronite village in Mount Lebanon, to a devout Catholic family. One of seven children, he grew up in a tight-knit community where Maronite traditions and Lebanese identity were central. His early exposure to the Church’s role in Lebanon’s multi-confessional society sparked a vocation, leading him to enter the Maronite seminary in Ghazir at age 12.

Lebanon’s post-independence tensions in the 1950s, marked by sectarian divisions, shaped al-Rahi’s commitment to Christian-Muslim coexistence. His intellectual aptitude and fluency in Arabic, French, and English were evident early, as he engaged in parish youth programs. These experiences grounded his later efforts to balance Maronite interests with national unity. <ref name="CatholicHierarchy">{{cite web |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/brahi.html |title=Bechara Boutros Cardinal al-Rahi |publisher=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |date=2025-04-24 |access-date=2025-04-24}}</ref>

Al-Rahi studied philosophy and theology at the Saint Maron Seminary in Ghazir and the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, earning a licentiate in theology. He pursued advanced studies in Rome at the Pontifical Lateran University (1962–1967), obtaining doctorates in canon law and civil law, focusing on ecclesiastical governance and interreligious relations in pluralistic societies.

He also trained in pastoral ministry at the Jesuit-run Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour in Lebanon, honing his catechetical skills. Al-Rahi’s academic rigor and multilingual proficiency prepared him for leadership in the Maronite Church and diplomatic engagement, blending scholarly depth with pastoral sensitivity. <ref name="VaticanPress">{{cite web |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinals_biographies/cardinal_al-rahi.html |title=Biography of Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi |publisher=Vatican Press Office |date=2025-04-24 |access-date=2025-04-24}}</ref>

Consecrated titular Bishop of Caesarea Philippi and auxiliary bishop of the Maronite Patriarchate on July 12, 1986, by Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, al-Rahi served until 1990. He was Bishop of Byblos from 1990 to 2011, strengthening Maronite communities amid Lebanon’s post-war recovery. Elected Patriarch of Antioch and All the East in 2011, he became the spiritual leader of the global Maronite diaspora and was elevated to cardinal in 2012.

 

 

| Served Maronite Patriarchate

| 9 June 1990

 

 

* Consecrated titular Bishop of Caesarea Philippi in 1986.