At least eight people have died after a missile struck a church in Lebanon.
Local Christian sources told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the church had been sheltering people displaced by Israeli airstrikes at the time of the strike.
The airstrikes caused the collapse of the church and two adjoining halls that were being used to house refugees.
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A priest’s house and a three-story building housing parish offices were also destroyed in the attack, which is located in the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre.
Christians in Lebanon have been sheltering refugees since Israel began its offensive against Hezbollah three weeks ago.
Maronite Archbishop Hanna Rahmé of Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar, in the Beqaa Valley, told ACN that Christian families in his archdiocese have welcomed both Christian and Muslim refugees into their homes, and that Muslims fleeing the bombardments “are enormously touched by this Christian solidarity.”
“Each of the Christian families in the villages around Deir El-Ahmar has welcomed three or four displaced families, that is, between 30 and 60 people,” he said.
“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 archdiocese has had to step up to support families hosting refugees because the NGOs are focused on assisting displaced people sheltering in schools, the archbishop said.
He described the situation as “critical” and said the need for food, mattresses and blankets was most urgent.
ACN said it has been providing practical support for emergency projects in Lebanon in response to the escalating conflict.
Rahmé added, “Please stay at our side. If we carry this together, we will be able to do great things.”
Originally published at Christian Today
