IMAGE: CNS photo/Johnny Antoun
By Doreen Abi Raad
BEIRUT (CNS) — They came from around the world, from
Australia, South America, Europe and the United States. Some came from Africa,
and some from nearby countries in the Middle East.
They clapped and ululated, creating a celebratory atmosphere
as nearly 500 young people from other countries joined 1,000 Maronite Catholic
youths from Lebanon for World Maronite Youth Days.
Some participants came with a durbakke, a popular Lebanese
hand drum, to accent the mood with a rhythmic beat. When a troupe of folk
dancers performed the traditional dabke dance, many youths rushed from their
seats to form snakes on the perimeter of the seating area, hands joined for the
step-and-stomp line dance. Even nuns joined in.
“Everyone is singing songs, outwardly praising,”
said Michel Kahwajy, 24, a Maronite Catholic from Richmond, Virginia.
“Meeting people that are my age that are passionate
about their Maronite faith, that’s been a really moving thing for me,” he told
Catholic News Service.
Although “America is a little bit more diverse … being
a ‘melting pot’ that it is, life is built more around religion here (in
Lebanon),” Kahwajy said.
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Vatican nuncio to Lebanon,
welcomed the people “with great love” and told them “Pope
Francis is among you and encourages you all.” Each participant received
the Gospel of Luke in booklet form, a gift from the pope, and the nuncio urged them
“to be a living Gospel.”
The World Maronite Youth Days ran July 15-25. Pilgrims
stayed with host families throughout Lebanon’s 13 Maronite eparchies, or dioceses,
for the first few days to experience the day-to-day culture and spiritual life
in a Lebanese Maronite Catholic parish. Later, monasteries and convents hosted
the youth.
Each morning began with Mass, prayers, catechesis and
discussion groups. The youth also visited holy sites of Lebanon, including the
tomb of St. Charbel, and they trekked through the forest of the famous Cedars
of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab), cited 103 times in the Bible.
“Despite differences of culture and language, we are
bridge builders,” said Father Toufic Bou Hadir, coordinator of the youth pastoral
ministry for the Maronite Patriarchate. He told the young people: “In the
face of terrorism, violence and conflicts, let’s say: ‘We are strong and
courageous.'”
“It changed me a lot, this experience, sharing with a
lot of young people, (who are) different, but with the same belief,”
18-year-old Ismael Azar of Buenos Aires, Argentina, told CNS. Even during times
of fun, Azar noted, “it’s a spiritual moment too, because the climate of
the event is very spiritual.”
“What I’m bringing back to Argentina,” Azar said, “is a lot of (new) friends that treat us like a family,”
and a mission “to bring Jesus to the others.”
Sandy Agob, 23, said she and 13 others from the area around
Aleppo, Syria, were “trying to stay happy, and that’s why we are here to
celebrate with the Maronites, although there are bombs and problems in Syria.”
Agob said she appreciated the fellowship aspect of the event.
“We should stay strong even if all the situation is
against us. We need to stay together, all the Christians in the world,”
she said.
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