Beirut: Fears are growing among Christian communities in southern Lebanon after several churches, convents, and religious institutions were damaged or destroyed during the continuing conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.
The latest incident took place last Friday when a convent and a former school belonging to the Salvatorian Sisters were destroyed in southern Lebanon. Local residents and Church leaders say the attack has deepened the suffering of civilians already living under constant fear and displacement.
The destruction is part of a wider pattern that has affected many Christian villages and religious sites in the region over the past year. In 2024, Melkite churches in the villages of Yaroun and Derdghaya, both recognised as part of Lebanon’s cultural heritage, were also destroyed during military operations. Residents say many villages have become empty after repeated strikes and clashes forced families to flee their homes.
Among the villages most severely affected are Qawzah and Alma el Chaab, where homes, public buildings, and places of worship have been heavily damaged. Many displaced families now fear they may never be able to return to their ancestral lands. Some local people believe the widespread destruction is intended to make civilian life impossible in these border areas.
Christian leaders in Lebanon have raised alarm over what they describe as a growing threat to the country’s religious and cultural presence in the south. The Council of Melkite Greek Catholic Bishops in Lebanon issued a strong appeal, warning that attacks on churches, schools, and homes strike at the dignity and identity of entire communities.
“Churches, schools, and homes are not just stones. To attack these places is to strike at human dignity itself,” the bishops said in their statement.
The Council urged the Lebanese government, the United Nations, and the wider international community to take immediate action to protect civilians and religious institutions. The bishops also called for efforts to ensure that villages damaged by war are not forgotten or abandoned.
For many Christians in southern Lebanon, the crisis is not only about physical destruction but also about the fear of losing a centuries old presence in the region. Several families who fled the violence are now living in temporary shelters or with relatives in safer areas of the country. Priests and religious sisters continue to support displaced people with food, shelter, and spiritual care despite the difficult conditions.
Humanitarian organisations and Church groups have also expressed concern about the future of Lebanon’s diverse religious communities if violence continues. Many churches in the south serve not only as places of worship but also as centres for education, charity, and community life.
As tensions remain high along the Lebanese border, Church leaders continue to appeal for peace and for the protection of innocent civilians caught in the conflict. They warn that without urgent international attention, entire communities risk disappearing from areas where Christians have lived and worshipped for generations.