Pope Francis received in audience this Thursday the Lebanese President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun.
According to a press release by the Holy See, during this “cordial” discussion, the Lebanese President and the Holy Father pointed to the “excellent relations between the Holy See and Lebanon, and insisted on the historic and institutional role of the Church in the country.”
They also expressed their satisfaction with the commitment of the different political forces to end the presidential vacuum which lasted two and a half years, hoping in the future for “a more fruitful cooperation between members of different ethnic and religious communities for the best of the nation.”
During this audience, the situation in Syria was also discussed “with particular attention to international efforts to find a political solution to the conflict,” the statement said.
The Pope praised the role of Lebanon in welcoming many Syrian refugees.
Finally, the regional juncture was also discussed, including other ongoing conflicts and “the situation of Christians in the Middle East.”
