In the predominantly Christian village of Ibl Al-Saqi, Israeli rocket attack injured Orthodox Father Gregorius Saolum, the priest of St George's Parish, as well has his wife and children. The priest was initially reported as having been killed, but the Greek Orthodox Archbishopric of Tyre and Sidon stated on October 2 that he is alive and receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit at Saint George Hospital in Beirut.
Also the village of Kfour was targeted by Israeli strikes, which left a church damaged, while 32 deaths were confirmed by local authorities in the Christian-majority village of Aïn el-Delb, near Sidon.
Two other Maronite priests are missing. Lebanese media report that Israeli soldiers entered Lebanese territory under cover of artillery and air power.
During a liturgy, the spiritual leader of the Maronite Church, Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, called for 'unity among the Lebanese, whose bulwark is the testimony of so many Christian and Muslim leaders who have believed in the causes of truth, justice and support for the weakest'.
Franciscan Father Toufic Bou Mehri, 55, superior of the Franciscan convent in Tyre, said in his homily last Sunday: "Dear bomb. Enough, enough. We can't take it anymore!"
He is a Lebanese who has known war since the age of five: "Dear bomb, please leave us alone. Dearest missile, do not explode. Do not obey the hand of hatred. I turn to you because the hearts of those responsible have hardened. They call you smart bombs, be smarter than those who use you. There is no one left to kill. The Lord has nothing to do with hate. He created love, but man has rejected it. What sin have we committed to deserve such a severe punishment?"
"Our sin is that we were born in this country, which has suffered war for more than 50 years, and that we pay the price instead of others."
Today, the Franciscan convent hosts 160 people, plus a dozen with special needs. Managing the reception is not easy because there is no electricity, no water, "for now we use cisterns", "but so far Providence has not let us lack anything".
Father Toufic continued: "We don't know how much longer we can go on. Tensions are very high, we have been advised to leave for security reasons, but we will not leave these people alone".
Since the beginning of October 2024, Israeli bombings in Lebanon have killed over 1,500 people.
#newsAqfccpogsf