CNA Staff, Aug 5, 2020 / 11:00 am
The Maronite eparchs of the United States are pleading for prayers and aid for the people of Lebanon in the wake of the large explosion in Beirut on Tuesday, August 4, as Lebanon's bishops call for a day of fasting and prayer this weekend.
Dozens are feared dead and thousands were injured by the blast, the cause of which is still unknown. Harrowing images from Beirut show buildings reduced to rubble, and an estimated hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless by the explosion.
In the statement, Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, and Bishop Elias Zeidan of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles described Beirut as an "apocalyptic city."
"Hospitals, schools, businesses, and much more is destroyed, leaving people feeling hopeless and helpless," said the bishops.