Lebanon has endured many struggles, including 15 years of war and occupation by Syria since 1990. The country is now experiencing a severe economic crisis, where jobs are hard to find and poverty is on the rise. About 30% of Lebanon's approximately 3 million residents are Christian.

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Peter Sfeir was appointed patriarch in 1986. Previously he served as bishop since 1961 and was appointed vicar patriarch the same year. He was ordained a Maronite priest in 1950.

He spoke with Register correspondent Doreen Abi Raad about the state of Christians in his country.

What would you tell Americans, who might not know much about Lebanon except for its civil war, about your country?

Lebanon has a very great mission. It is a very small country, but it has its role to play, because its people are Christian and Muslim, and they are living together peaceably. And this is very important, not only for Lebanon but also for all the world.

Lebanon is special because our government respects all kinds of religions. It is not so in our neighboring countries [in the Middle East] where Islam is the religion of the state or at least the religion of the head of the state. In Lebanon we have religious liberty.

What role do Christians play in the government in Lebanon?

The Christians are playing a role as are the other communities in Lebanon because, under our constitution, the functions of government are distributed: a Maronite [Christian] is president, the prime minister is Sunni and the speaker of the House is Shiite. So the Parliament is [split] 50-50 between Christian and Muslim.

So is Lebanon free?

Lebanon needs to be free as it was before and to be able practice democracy. Now it is not so, because Syria is controlling the political and economic life. I think Lebanon deserves to be free of any control, so it will again be master of its own decisions and be independent and sovereign in the true meaning of the term. Right now, Syria is dominating our president, our ministers and our deputies.

What other issues have affected Lebanon because of the Syrian occupation?

We are in debt, about $40 billion. Some say the reconstruction of our capital Beirut [after the war] has cost about $6 billion to $7 billion. And the rest, where did it go?

Is there a danger of collapse in this country?

Yes. How will we pay this great sum [the debt]?

You are known to be quite outspoken about the Syrian occupation in Lebanon. How does this affect your role in the Church?

I consider it my duty to speak out. “There is no peace without truth, liberty, justice and charity,” [Blessed] Pope John XXIII said.

You have just finished a tour of Europe, including Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and France. What message were you trying to bring to Europe regarding Lebanon?

I visited the countries where there are Maronites and Lebanese in general, because these people have left Lebanon to find work, because there is no work in Lebanon. My message was that if you are in an outside country, you cannot forget that Lebanon is your country of origin. When the time is opportune, you have to go back to Lebanon. You have to be attached to your faith and your Christian values.

What can be done to keep the youth from leaving Lebanon to seek opportunities abroad?

First of all, Lebanon has to assume full responsibility toward itself again. We have to start by having a good electorate law so the Lebanese people can elect parliamentarians in their [the people's] name. And it is not up to the others [neighboring Syrians] to nominate the parliamentarians.

The Lebanese have always valued faith and the family. What effect is modern society having upon these values?

The values of the Lebanese are well known. In general, the Lebanese love the family and the family life. And they are attached to their values in general—their faith, their traditions, their families. But actually, many of them are leaving Lebanon to go abroad. With these contacts with other cultures, they are adopting the values of others.

What are the numbers? How many have left Lebanon?

Some say about 1 million have left Lebanon to go abroad since 1975—to the United States, Brazil, Australia, Canada and Europe.

How would you describe the faith of the Lebanese Christians?

Before the war, faith was weaker, but actually now it is very strong. Because our people—and especially young people—have realized that they can't rely on anything but God. They have lost their money, their parents, their prestige. God for them is the only recourse. Because only God is capable of deriving good things from wrong things.

Now we have many vocations, for example. We have about 100 every year in our seminary [the Maronite Seminary in Ghazir, Lebanon]. Before the war, it was about half that amount.

How would you explain the great devotion the Lebanese Christians have to the Blessed Mother?

Our Lady is venerated by the Lebanese. There is no village without some kind of church, shrine or image in honor of Our Lady. Our Lady is watching over Lebanon. Because in every instance, Christians are in the habit of going to Our Lady to ask her to heal an ill, or to ask for her grace or intercession.

What is the secret of Lebanon in which Christianity has been able to survive?

The Christians were able to persevere. We were under the Turkish empire for 400 years. But the Christians were here and it was impossible for them to go abroad, because there was no means of transportation. Even in times of occupation, the Christians were content in their faith and were attached to their religion.

Are you hopeful about the future for Christians in Lebanon?

Yes. We cannot say we are in despair. Because Lebanon has behind it some 6,000 years—we were here from the beginning of Christianity. And so are Muslims—they are here since the dawn of Islam. We have to live together.

Doreen Abi Raad writes from Lebanon.