Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has launched an emergency campaign to raise at least 1 million euros to support the Church in Lebanon as it navigates this unprecedented crisis. With the country already crippled by political instability, economic collapse, and the aftermath of the Beirut Port explosion, the recent Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults have intensified the suffering, especially for the Christian community in southern Lebanon.
The ongoing Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults in Lebanon have created a catastrophic crisis, with more than one million people internally displaced. The Church in Lebanon is on the front lines, providing shelter and aid to those fleeing the conflict, particularly in the regions of Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and northern Lebanon, which have seen the most significant influx of displaced individuals. Christians and Muslims alike are seeking refuge in safer areas, including the Archdiocese of Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar, where Mgr Hanna Rahmé and his community are working tirelessly to assist those affected by the daily bombardments.
Mgr. Hanna Rahmé, O.L.M., Bishop of Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar
Mgr Rahmé, whose archdiocese has welcomed over 13,000 displaced people, described the situation as follows: "We are choked by the number of internally displaced people, but we can't leave them to their fate; we are not Christians just for ourselves but for everyone." The Church has opened its doors, offering shelter in schools, churches, and private homes, yet thousands desperately need basic necessities like food, bedding, and medicine.
"Lebanon has been going from crisis to crisis over the past decades," says Regina Lynch, the executive president of ACN. "Political instability, an influx of refugees, economic collapse, the Beirut Port explosion, and now the Israeli bombardments—through all of this, the Church has continued to serve the people, offering both material and spiritual support. ACN has stood by our project partners in Lebanon, and we will not abandon them now, in this new hour of need."
Hundreds of thousands have been displaced by Israeli bombardments in Lebanon
The Christian community in Lebanon is suffering greatly despite having no part in the ongoing conflict. Thousands of families have been displaced, torn from their homes and livelihoods. ACN is calling on its friends and benefactors to support this urgent cause.
