Pierre el-Rahi
Lebanese Maronite priest (1975–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pierre el-Rahi (sometimes spelled Pierre al-Rahi) (Arabic: بيار الراعي, French: Pierre el-Raï; 1975 – 9 March 2026) was a Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest who was killed by Israeli tank fire during the 2026 Lebanon war.[1][2]
Pierre el-Rahi | |
|---|---|
| Church | Maronite Church |
| Archdiocese | Archeparchy of Tyre |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1975 Dibeh, Lebanon |
| Died | (aged 50) Al-Qlayaa, Lebanon |
| Cause of death | Israeli tank fire (see details) |
Biography
Born in 1975 in the village of Dibeh in northern Lebanon,[3] El-Rahi was originally from Debel in the south of Lebanon. He became curate of the Paroisse Saint-Georges in Al-Qlayaa in 2013, his ministry located in the Marjayoun District, just north of the Israeli border.[4]
In December 2023, he appeared in the press urging Christian residents of Al-Qlayaa to continue celebrating Christmas in spite of the Hezbollah–Israel conflict.[5] In October 2024, he defended the rights of residents to remain on their own land amidst evacuation orders, citing the village's attempt to avoid any form of armed conflict.[6][7]
The following month, he continued to encourage residents to stay home despite the approaching warfare.[8] In early March 2025, he received a delegation from the Kataeb Party, which met with several officials in southern Lebanese villages.[9] On 20 October 2025, he was received at Baabda Palace by President Joseph Aoun, discussing religious issues and the safety of the people of Al-Qlayaa.[10]
Death
On 9 March 2026, el-Rahi rushed to a family's house in Al-Qlayaa to render aid, when he himself was fatally struck by a second shelling.[11] His death was denounced by the Lebanese Forces as a casualty of a war "imported into Lebanon and Qlayaa" and "waged by outlaws".[12]