SW News: Hundreds of Lebanese Catholics assembled in the Maronite Cathedral of St Maron in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Sunday, September 26, for a reparation Mass to atone for the desecration of Sacred Hosts and sacred objects two days earlier. The Holy Mass was offered by Bishop Juan Habib Chameh.

Two days before the ceremony, thieves broke into the cathedral and pried open the tabernacle and scattered the consecrated hosts on the floor. They also robbed the ciborium, crosses, relics of Lebanese saints Charbel Makhlouf and Rafqa Ar Rayes, chandeliers and loudspeakers. Expressing the intention to make up for the desecration, the bishop said, "We are going to celebrate a special Mass: a Mass of reparation to atone for the desecration of the Eucharistic body of our Lord and Savior Jesus."

More than a hundred believers attended the Mass and they included Juan Luis Manzur, the nation's chief of staff, Johnny Ibrahim, Lebanon's ambassador to Argentina, and Federico Pugliese, the director of Entities and Religions of Buenos Aires.

The bishop also thanked the immediate message of solidarity sent by the chair of the Argentine Episcopal Conference, Monsignor Oscar Ojea, and the solidarity of various organizations, including the Ecumenical Commission of Christian Churches in Argentina (CEICA), with other people and institutions that expressed their deep sadness.

Maronite Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Raï also assured his closeness to the Argentine church and informed them that he was offering Holy Mass for the offenses committed against the Eucharist.