Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Cardinal Beshara al-Rahi, the Patriarch of the Maronite Church, appealed to the Islamist group Hezbollah to “free itself from Iran” in an interview he did shortly before the arrival of Pope Leo XIV.

He said the papal visit is a clear message from Leo to the people of the country: “I am with you. Take heart and preserve your land. Lebanon is a land of peace, not war.”

“The Holy Father is a man of prayer,” he told the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.

“He knows the worth of Lebanon and understands the looming danger of war. When asked about the security risks, he reaffirmed his determination to come,” the cardinal said.

He said the message of the pope was intended for the entire Arab world: “Enough wars, killing, and destruction.”

“For fifty years, Lebanon has lived through conflict,” al-Rahi said. “It is time for that to end. War brings only devastation and death. This includes the latest fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. Human lives are being taken. Who has the right to decide the fate of another person?”

Lebanon’s army has been trying to strengthen its border with Israel which has intensified its conflict with the  Hezbollah militant group after the 2023 Gaza attack on Israel.

There was a ceasefire that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war a year ago, letting Lebanon’s army increase its presence along the border to nearly 10,000 troops. However, Israel continued to threaten Lebanon because of the continued presence of Hezbollah in the country.

“There is no room for war and killing. The only path is diplomacy, long and difficult as it may be,” al-Rahi told Asharq al-Awsat.

The cardinal also supported President Joseph Aoun’s efforts to pursue political and diplomatic solutions.

“The Americans must influence Israel, and Iran must influence Hezbollah,” he said.

“Hezbollah knows that a final decision has been made regarding exclusive state control of arms,” al-Rahi said, adding the militant group must surrender its weapons to the Lebanese Army.

However, he claimed that Israel has not respected the ceasefire.

“It continues daily strikes, treating Lebanon as a subordinate province. Lebanon risks becoming a pile of stones,” the cardinal said.

He said “those who bear arms” are responsible for achieving peace.

“Manhood is not measured by firing weapons, but by building peace. It is time for both Israel and Hezbollah to understand this,” he told the newspaper.

Al-Rahi also said Pope Leo chose to visit his country because “Lebanon is under real threat of war.”

Touching on political issues in the country, the said he was surprised that the call for exclusive state control of weapons is portrayed as an attack on Shia Muslims, which is the religious group of Hezbollah.

“Why do they feel targeted? … They are present throughout ministries and public institutions. Is asking for disarmament targeting them? No other Lebanese community carries arms. I do not see how they are being singled out,” the cardinal said.

“We need political stability for the country to rise again,” he added.

“Loyalty to the nation did not grow at the same pace as belonging to it. The two must be equal if stability is to be achieved,” said al-Rahi.

He also called on Lebanon to restore mandatory military service.

“Abolishing conscription was a mistake. Military service teaches citizens that the nation they serve is their honor. Without it, how can loyalty grow?” al-Rahi asked.