President Michel Aoun and First Lady Nadia Chami Aoun kept their yearly tradition and attended the Christmas novena inauguration on Sunday night at Our Lady of Seeds Chapel - the icon of Antonine University - on our Hadat-Baabda campus.
Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi presided the novena ceremony alongside with Paul Abd al-Sater, Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut. Papal ambassador to Lebanon Bishop Semaan Atallah also provided his assistance, alongside Monsignor Joseph Spitry; Abbot Maroun Abou Jaoude, Superior General of the Antonine Maronite Order; and Father Michel Jalakh, Rector of the University, accompanied by a group of priests. The University choir, led by the University’s Secretary-General, Father Dr. Toufiq Maatouk, interpreted their marvelous religious hymns during the ceremony, with the vocalist Ghada Shabir.
Attendees
When the President of the Republic and the First Lady reached the University gates, church bells started ringing as Father Jalakh received President Aoun and his wife as they entered the church amid the choir singing holy gospels.
Deputies Ibrahim Kanaan, Alain Aoun, and Hikmat Deeb also attended the novena, alongside with the mayor of Hadat, George Aoun. Director-General of State Security, Major General Antoine Saliba; Director of Intelligence in the Army Brigadier General Antoine Mansour; Commander of Mount Lebanon, Colonel Jihad Al-Asmar; wife of the Armed Forces Commander Mrs. Nemat Joseph Aoun; Judge Nicolas Mansour; and Head of the Lebanese Press Syndicate Editors Joseph Kossaïfi were also present. Finally, among the attendees were general managers and officers from security and military agencies, monks and priests, university trustees, deans and professors, and a crowd of believers.
Blessing of the Patriarch
After a few bible readings, Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi said a prayer to bless the occasion.
Word of the Rector
To close the novena, Father Jalakh delivered the following speech:
Your Excellency the President, His Eminence the Maronite Patriarch, honorable deputies, military and security leaders, Reverend Superior General of the Antonine Maronite Order and members of the educational, administrative, and student body,
Dear loved ones,
It is the season of hope, the season of conquering the impossible. Is there an impossible harder than carrying time forever? It is the season of the poor, the marginalized, and the forgotten, which God has allowed putting through grief and poverty, to teach us that our humanity, not just our Christianity, is measured by what we do to our young siblings.
It is crucial to celebrate Christmas by carrying the cross of our country and society together, despite its complexity. It is no coincidence that we are celebrating this holiday while the horizon is clouded with anxiety because the star of Christmas does not shine but in darkness.
It is with joy that the Antonins are seeing your Excellency again. This tradition elevates our souls despite the crisis that has fallen upon us.
My beloved ones, as we do each year, we are gathering to commence the Christmas novena and pray that our nation overcomes this distress. We are praying that the days to come, unlike the past, lead us to a better place, a place of transparency instead of corruption, efficiency instead of dishonesty, good judgment instead of confusion, and courage in taking responsibility instead of blaming others.
The people have walked in the darkness for long enough. From the darkness of war to the darkness of oppression and poverty... It is now time for them to see the light and gain peace and abundance. This year, Christmas is not much obscurer than the holidays of the previous years, because the crisis that we are in has accumulated throughout those years. We had always postponed it, ignored it, or hoped for a miracle that would save us from the consequences of the choices we have made in the economy, society, education, and so forth. Here we are today, having to face the consequences of these years. There is no room for delay or neglect, but there is no room for despair either. Together we will face any hardship to build, this time upon rocks, a future for our children. We are determined to do so, and we trust that the Head of our State can and will face difficulties. We trust in you, Mr. President, particularly since you spoke early on about fighting corruption. We had barely started regaining our freedom, sovereignty, and independence, and we saw that you understand when to negotiate and when to reject the unacceptable for the sole purpose of preserving the unity of the nation, civil peace, and national dignity.
We pray today that the Divine Child would guide us all to do what is best for our country. We pray that when next Christmas comes upon us, we will have crossed back to safety.”