A wave of political and religious condemnation has swept Lebanon following a social media campaign targeting Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi, as tensions over media content and sectarian sensitivities intensified amid an already fragile national climate.

The controversy was triggered after a video aired by Lebanese broadcaster LBCI depicted Hezbollah leaders and fighters as characters from the popular “Angry Birds” game, drawing sharp criticism from the outlawed militia, which described the content as “offensive” and degrading to political discourse. The backlash quickly escalated online, with Hezbollah supporters accusing the channel of mocking their leader, Secretary-General Naim Qassem.

In response, a counter-campaign emerged targeting Al-Rahi, Lebanon’s highest Maronite Christian authority, with widely circulated images portraying him in degrading ways, including doctored visuals replacing his face with a shoe, a pig, or a cartoon character. Other images showed him alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in what critics described as an attempt to discredit him.

The developments sparked widespread condemnation across Lebanon’s political and religious spectrum, prompting President Joseph Aoun to condemn attacks on religious figures. In a statement, he rejected “any assault on the heads of Christian and Muslim communities and spiritual authorities,” urging restraint and warning of the consequences of inflammatory rhetoric at a time when the country requires unity.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri echoed those concerns, warning that internal divisions ultimately serve external adversaries. He pointed to recent Israeli strikes on religious sites in southern Lebanon, arguing that discord among Lebanese only benefits those undermining the country’s stability.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam weighed in, calling for restraint and warning against the dangers of escalating rhetoric.

“No matter how deep political disagreements may be, there must be limits,” he said, cautioning that personal insults and accusations of treason only fuel tensions and instability.

Information Minister Paul Morcos said efforts were underway to combat hate speech, including cooperation with international organizations and media awareness campaigns.

Hezbollah, in its own statement, accused the LBCI video of crossing the line from political criticism into deliberate provocation. It described the content as “cheap insults” aimed at inciting unrest and deepening divisions, while urging its supporters not to be drawn into what it called a broader effort to destabilize Lebanese society.

The group’s lawmakers reinforced that message, with some suggesting that ongoing tensions were being fueled by external actors seeking to exploit internal fault lines.

The backlash also prompted strong reactions from Christian institutions and political figures. The Maronite League condemned the campaign against Al-Rahi as “vulgar and inciting,” referring the matter to judicial authorities and calling for accountability. The General Maronite Council warned of an “unprecedented level of moral degradation,” cautioning that such rhetoric threatens civil peace.

The Kataeb Party condemned what it described as a coordinated campaign against the patriarch, calling it an attempt to weaken a key national reference point.

“The campaign against Bkerki is not an expression of free speech, but a systematic effort to distort sovereign positions,” the party said in a statement issued by its media department, adding that such actions reflect “political bankruptcy” and a failure to engage in meaningful accountability.

The party warned that failing to address such rhetoric risks undermining what remains of state authority, stressing that “Lebanon cannot be governed through incitement, but through responsibility.”

The Kataeb party also expressed solidarity with LBCI, which has faced threats over the controversy, urging authorities to protect media institutions and their staff.

Legal action is also being considered. According to local reports, a team of lawyers is preparing to file a complaint before Lebanon’s top prosecutor against those responsible for defamation and incitement targeting the patriarch. Beirut Bar Association head Imad Martinos described the attacks as “an affront to all of Lebanon,” emphasizing that they undermine a unifying national and spiritual authority.

Religious leaders across sectarian lines also rallied in support of Al-Rahi. Grand Mufti Abdellatif Derian contacted him to express solidarity, condemning the attacks as harmful to national dignity and Lebanon’s image. Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Sami Abi al-Mona similarly denounced the campaign as an assault on the country’s collective values.

Amid the escalating controversy, Al-Rahi himself addressed the situation during a Sunday homily at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, raising broader concerns about the country’s trajectory.

“Where are we heading? What is our future in Lebanon?” he asked. “We are living in a suspended state that exhausts people. Our nation is waiting, trying to hold on to what remains of hope amid rising tensions, as if we can no longer tolerate one another.”

He strongly criticized the tone of public discourse, saying: “What we are witnessing in terms of hateful rhetoric is not media freedom. It is hatred and a violation of dignity; something no one has the right to infringe upon.”

Despite the tensions, Al-Rahi struck a note of cautious hope, invoking Lebanon’s resilience. 

“God continues to work wonders in Lebanon, and divine providence has always lifted it when it falters,” he said. “Enough anxiety—Mary, be with us through this long night, because despite everything, we are still awaiting a new dawn.”