Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi called on the judge investigating Beirut's catastrophic port explosion to resume his work in a bid to reach the truth, saying that the Lebanese believe in the resurrection of their country.

“We raise the voice of anger in the face of all officials, whoever they are, wherever they are, and in the face of whoever is obstructing the investigation, as if what happened was just a trivial and fleeting incident that does not deserve to be highlighted and can be dealt with by escape, settlement or barter as they usually do in politics,” Rahi said during a Funeral Mass for the victims of the port explosion at Saint George’s Cathedral in Beirut.

The Mass was attended by family members of the blast victims, the injured and those whose homes and livelihoods had been destroyed. Many family members, dressed in black, held photos of their deceased loved ones.

One of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever, the blast was caused by the detonation of a stockpile of ammonium nitrate improperly stored at the port for years. It was so powerful that buildings were affected more than 12 miles away, and the tremor was felt on the island of Cyprus, 165 miles across the Mediterranean Sea.

“We seek compensation for those affected by the port explosion, and we believe in the resurrection of Beirut and Lebanon,” he added.

“We are not accusing anyone nor exonerating anyone, but citizens seek justice, and we refuse to let some of the accused be at large, while others are innocent and imprisoned,” he pointed out. 

“Today, Lebanon is facing two crimes: the port explosion and stalled investigation as it is a deliberate and voluntary act that is sowing discord among the families of the victims,” he emphasized.

Rahi said the State had not the right to refrain from conducting a local investigation and obstruct an international one.

“Why didn't you ask for the neighbouring and friendly countries' support to put out the fires in the warehouse, as if the intention was to destroy it and erase the people's memory?” he asked. 

The Mass was concelebrated with Maronite Archbishop Paul Abdel Sater of Beirut and Archbishop Paul Nabil El-Sayah, patriarchal deputy for external relations, in the presence of bishops, clergy and religious from different rites.