Rmeich: In the small southern village of Rmeich, near the border with Israel, a local priest has spoken about fear, faith and the strong hope for peace as fighting continues in the region.
Father Toni Elias, a Maronite parish priest serving at St George Church, said his community is determined not to give up even as tensions rise. Rmeich is known as one of the last Christian villages in the area close to the Israeli border, and residents say they are living directly on the frontline of the conflict.
He said people in the village were not surprised that the recently announced ceasefire involving Iran, the United States and Israel does not include Lebanon. According to him, many had already expected that southern Lebanon would remain outside the truce because of ongoing military activity in the region.
On April 8, heavy Israeli air strikes hit parts of southern Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. Israeli authorities described the attacks as one of the largest waves of strikes in the current conflict, targeting what they said were Hezbollah positions. The strikes confirmed fears in Rmeich that peace would not come to their area anytime soon.
Despite the danger, the village community continued to observe Holy Week. Father Elias said that although they had to skip the Easter Vigil, people gathered with strong faith and took part in other celebrations. He described faith as the main strength that keeps the community united and hopeful during difficult times.
He also shared a message of coexistence, saying he believes in loving all communities including Shiites, Sunnis and Druze. At the same time, he stressed that people are tired of war and want a peaceful future where young people can find jobs and families do not feel forced to leave their homes.
The priest said the Church has been supporting the community, especially during the ongoing conflict. He expressed gratitude for prayers and concern shown by Church leaders, including recent outreach from the Apostolic Nuncio.
However, he highlighted urgent needs in the village, especially for medicines. Many residents are facing serious illnesses such as cancer and require costly or hard to find treatments. He said efforts are underway to coordinate support through Catholic organisations including the Order of Malta and Caritas.
Father Elias called for the creation of a humanitarian corridor to allow essential supplies to reach those in need. He said local parishes are carrying a heavy burden as they try to support people while also seeking help from outside.
Even as war continues around them, the people of Rmeich say they remain firm in what the priest described as a peaceful resistance, rooted in faith and hope for a Lebanon that can one day live in peace.