by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
NAHARIYA, ISRAEL (Worthy News) – A Lebanese Christian priest in northern Israel has forgiven those who vandalized his community’s prayer hall, destroying religious statues and images.
Israeli police were investigating the attack on the congregation, whose members include former Lebanese fighters who once supported Israel.
Priest Rody Noura, who leads the Maronite Catholic community in the coastal city of Nahariya, expressed shock at the destruction discovered Sunday but urged compassion for those responsible.
“We certainly forgive him, even though I don’t know who he is,” Noura said in published remarks, referring to the unidentified perpetrator or perpetrators.
He condemned the vandalism as immoral but expressed hope that something good could emerge from the incident.
APOLOGY FOUND ON ALTAR
The destruction was discovered Sunday evening when a woman arrived at the prayer hall around 5:45 p.m. to prepare for a worship service.
She found shattered statues, damaged religious images and sacred objects scattered across the floor. Noura arrived some 15 to 20 minutes later.
Among the damaged objects were images of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ on the cross and St. Charbel, a 19th-century Lebanese monk revered by Maronite Catholics.
An apology note written in English was also discovered on the altar, according to priest Yosef Yaakov, a spokesperson for the Maronite community in Israel.
The message expressed remorse and suggested that its author did not understand what had prompted the destructive behavior, Israeli media reported.
LEBANESE CHRISTIANS IN ISRAEL
The prayer hall, known as Saints Peter and Paul, serves a community that includes former soldiers of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and their families.
The Christian-led militia fought alongside Israeli forces against Hezbollah and other armed groups during Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon.
When Israel withdrew in May 2000, the SLA collapsed, prompting thousands of former fighters and relatives to flee into Israel amid fears of retaliation.
Many settled in Nahariya, near the Lebanese border, where they maintained their Christian traditions and Lebanese cultural identity.
Roughly 1,100 to 1,200 people are estimated to belong to the community, with dozens regularly attending Sunday worship and larger gatherings during religious holidays.
FIRST ATTACK IN 26 YEARS
Noura described the vandalism as unprecedented in the community’s 26 years in Nahariya and suggested that whoever carried it out might be struggling with anger or personal pain.
The Maronite Archeparchy of Haifa, headed by Archbishop Moussa El-Hage, condemned the attack as a violation of the sanctity of Christian worship and religious freedom.
Church leaders pledged to continue holding services and urged authorities to protect the congregation.
ISRAEL CONDEMNS ATTACK
Israeli diplomat George Deek, the Foreign Ministry’s special envoy to the Christian world, expressed solidarity with the congregation.
He told Israeli media that the attack was particularly painful because the community included Lebanese Christians who had supported Israel before seeking refuge there.
Deek contacted Noura to offer assistance and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
The prayer hall reportedly has no security cameras, although footage from nearby buildings, including a school and sports facility, may help investigators.
Authorities had not established who carried out the vandalism or whether religious hostility motivated the incident.
Despite the destruction, Noura remained hopeful that the attack could become an opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
