Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East of the Greek Orthodox Church sent a congratulatory message to General Joseph Aoun, the newly elected President of the Lebanese Republic.
The message read as follows:
“We received with joy the news of your election as President of the Lebanese Republic during a time of hope for Lebanon, a nation that always aspires to stability and prosperity. Like the Phoenix, Lebanon rises anew despite the crises and hardships that it endures.
Your election, first and foremost, affirms the trust of the Lebanese people in you and the qualities you embody as the head of the armed forces, the shield of the nation and the symbol of its resilience. It also underscores their faith in the Lebanese Army, an institution that arises from the entire nation and extends its protection to the entire nation.
We wholeheartedly congratulate you and convey the congratulations of the faithful of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, across its dioceses in Lebanon and throughout the diaspora. We offer our prayers to Almighty God, the God of all consolation and hope, that He may instill hope in your heart and guide you in serving the good of this nation.
We see in you the majesty and resilience of the Cedars in these turbulent times, as the East and the world yearn for the peace of the Harbor of the Father of Lights and the God of all Consolation.
May God be with you. Long live Lebanon, and long may you live.”
