The Council of Maronite Bishops said Wednesday that civil marriage can exist alongside religious marriage, but cannot replace it.
“Marriage is one of the church sacraments and civil marriage cannot replace this sacrament. However, those who hold civil marriage, if they are believers, can later hold a religious marriage in order to take part in the other sacraments of the church,” said the bishops.
According to the bishops, the issue of civil marriage has two aspects, a religious one and another which is constitutional.
“The constitution advocates the introduction of civil marriage in Lebanon,” they said. “On a religious level, marriage is a holy union and civil marriage should not replace the religious one.”
The controversy over the legalization of civil marriage was renewed earlier this month when President Michel Sleiman voiced his support for its adoption, saying the constitution guaranteed it as a civil right.
He did so days after a couple who had deleted mention of their religious identity from their civil registration document attempted to make their civil wedding official.
Kholoud Succariyeh and Nidal Darwish announced they had wed as a secular couple and that they were awaiting the Interior Ministry’s formal recognition of their marriage document.
Religious leaders are split on the issue of civil marriage in Lebanon, which officially recognizes 18 different sects.
The staunchest opposition to civil marriage has come from the country’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani. The Sunni preacher has issued an edict, or fatwa, on the matter and warned Muslim politicians and ministers not to support introducing civil weddings.
The bishops also condemned the recent ambush in Arsal that left two soldiers killed and urged the state to firmly implement the law, a statement from the bishops said.
“We strongly condemn the attack against the Army in Arsal and urge the state to firmly implement the laws,” said the statement issued following the bishops’ weekly meeting.
Two soldiers were killed when gunmen ambushed the Army Friday in the eastern town of Arsal.
The clashes erupted after military intelligence personnel apprehended Khaled Hmayyed, a man wanted on several criminal charges.
The bishops also voiced concern over the rising number of crimes in the country and “the expression of hostile feelings towards the security forces, including the Army.”
“Citizens should respect the Army and security forces as they are the only legitimate institutions entitled to provide security and protection to them,” said the bishops.
The bishops also reiterated their call for a new parliamentary electoral law that would secure fair representation to both Muslims and Christians.
