Israeli army kills Catholic priest in Lebanon

Pierre El-Rai. Photo: aed-france.org

A Catholic priest, Pierre El-Rai, was killed in Lebanon on March 12, 2026, according to the news outlet Christian Today. A cleric of the Maronite Church, which is in full communion with Rome, he was in the village of Qlayaa, where he was trying to assist his parishioners. An Israeli tank fired two rounds at a civilian house where the priest was staying. El-Rai suffered critical wounds and later died in hospital.

The head of the Maronite Church, Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, said the slain priest “gave his life as a testament to love and devotion to his priestly mission.” He called the priest’s martyrdom “a profound wound in the heart of the Church” and urged all sides to return to diplomacy and dialogue. The Patriarch also condemned any attacks on civilians, religious figures, and places of worship.

The escalation of fighting involving Israel, Iran, and the Lebanese group Hezbollah has created a constant threat to the lives of Christians in the region. This is not the first time Christian sites and clergy have come under Israeli fire. During the conflict in Gaza, the Holy Family Catholic parish – the only Catholic church there – was hit in shelling that wounded Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, while two women on church grounds were killed by snipers. More recently, a drone attack on an Iraqi Christian community was also reported.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Iraq’s Shiite leader had called for a holy war on behalf of Iran.

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