Ambassade du Vatican, 14 septembre 2007, l’ambassadeur du #Liban au #Vatican évoque le manque d’influence du patriache maronite #Nasrallah_Sfeir. #cablegate
►http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2007/09/07VATICAN127.html
— Patriarch Sfeir’s visit last week was in fact arranged by the Lebanese ambassador to Italy, and Sfeir had not sought any Holy See meetings; this caused some friction with the Holy See when it learned of his visit (Vatican meetings did eventually occur). In Abi Assi’s view, the Patriarch is relatively unable to influence events in Lebanon, and knows it; he is respected but not feared, and Christian factions feel free to ignore his pleas. Sfeir is still mistrustful of the U.S. because of some misunderstandings in the 1990s relating to proposed candidates for election to office in Lebanon. (Note: Abi Assi noted that although the Maronite Church is in full communion with Rome, it is self-governing — in other words, the Patriarch cannot be dismissed and is essentially independent.)