Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi on Sunday mourned the death of his predecessor, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, praising him as an icon.

"We now have a patron in heaven," Al-Rahi said during a mass he officiated in Bkirki to pray for the late Patriarch.

On another note, Al-Rahi said it is the duty of all political officials to work responsibly on forming a society that is based on diversity and unity, adding that no one must be excluded or neglected.

“If officials in the parliament and government had had these principles in mind, they would have come out with a budget that promises reform, economic growth, financial stability and a decent social life,” he said.