Lebanon Archives

Latest in a series of crises: Lebanon grapples with COVID-19

Mar 11, 2020

A group of priests in Lebanon have quarantined themselves while a pair of their elders are fighting coronavirus. A Catholic hospital in another part of the tiny Mediterranean country has also seen a spread of the COVID-19 as fear of the disease grips the cash-strapped nation.

By Dale Gavlak

Lebanon, Nigeria show Catholic bishops saying the emperor has no clothes

Feb 11, 2020

Catholicism may not always be the solution to rotten politics – but for a broad swath of the world, its representatives are at least willing to say out loud that their emperors have no clothes.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Mideast patriarchs tell pope they’re concerned about Christian survival

Feb 10, 2020

In a private meeting with Pope Francis, Catholic patriarchs of the Middle East had an opportunity to sound the alarm regarding the survival of Christians in the region as a result of persecution, extremism, economic insecurity and immigration to the West.

By Doreen Abi Raad

Forget the Swiss — How about the Vatican to broker US/Iran relations?

Jan 5, 2020

As counterintuitive as it may seem, there’s a case to be made that the Vatican might be a good choice to broker conversation between the U.S. and Iran to try to head off a regional conflagration.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Mideast Catholic patriarchs pray for those suffering, appeal for dialogue

Dec 26, 2019

Against a backdrop of anti-government protests in Iraq and Lebanon, at Christmas, Catholic patriarchs in the Middle East spoke of continued suffering.

By Doreen Abi Raad

After delays, Lebanon president holds talks on naming new PM

Dec 19, 2019

Lebanon’s president held long-delayed talks with parliamentary blocs on Thursday to discuss the naming of a new prime minister amid a rapidly worsening political and economic crisis and weeks of nationwide protests roiling the country.

By Sarah El Deeb