Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of the Maronites, addresses thousands of Lebanese Feb. 27 who rallied at Bkerke, the patriarchate north of Beirut, to show their support for his positions for the crisis-plagued country.

A Lebanese throng rallied last month in support of the cardinal’s campaign, and Pope Francis advised this week that he has promised the patriarch that he will visit the beleaguered Middle East nation to communicate his own support.