Pierre al-Rahi

Father Pierre al-Rahi ? also known by the French form of his name, Pierre el-Ra? ? was the Maronite Catholic parish priest of Qlayaa, a Christian village of approximately 8,000 residents in the Marjayoun district of southern Lebanon, close to the Israeli border. He was originally from the nearby village of Dibeh.

The village of Qlayaa had largely been spared from direct fighting in the months preceding the 2026 war. When Lebanon was drawn into the wider conflict after Hezbollah began attacking Israel on 2 March 2026, in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes, Israel launched a fresh air and ground campaign in southern Lebanon and issued sweeping evacuation orders for communities south of the Litani River.

Father al-Rahi, along with other priests in the area, refused to comply with the Israeli evacuation order. On 8 March 2026 ? the day before his death ? he spoke to the France24 television channel from the steps of his church in Qlayaa, saying: "We are forced to stay despite the danger, when we defend our land, and we do so peacefully. None of us carries weapons. All of us carry peace and goodness and love."

On the morning of 9 March 2026, an Israeli Merkava tank fired on a residential house in Qlayaa, wounding the homeowner and his wife. Father al-Rahi and several neighbours immediately rushed to the house to help the wounded. As they arrived, the tank fired a second round at the same house. Father al-Rahi was wounded in the second strike. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. Four other people were also injured in the attack. The head of Qlayaa's municipal council, Hanna Daher, told journalists: "They say there were fighters in the house, but that's not true. These are lies. Inside, there were only the residents of the house and people from the village who came to help the wounded."

Pope Leo XIV, speaking at his weekly General Audience on the day of Father al-Rahi's funeral, expressed "profound sorrow" for the victims of the conflict in the Middle East, singling out Father al-Rahi by name as an example of those who had been killed while caring for others. "I am close to all the Lebanese people at this moment of grave trial," the Pope said. His funeral was held at the church in Qlayaa on 11 March 2026, attended by hundreds of parishioners and Lebanese Maronite Church officials, as well as the Lebanese army commander Rodolphe Haykal.

Father al-Rahi's death drew international condemnation, including from the French charity L'Oeuvre d'Orient, Aid to the Church in Need, and Maronite bishops in the United States. Lebanese Maronite Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn quoted the Gospel of John in tribute: "No greater love has any man than to give his life for his friends."

Pierre al-Rahi was killed during Minab School Strike, Iran ? 2026 (ongoing since February 2026). The conflict is ongoing. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Hana Dehqani, Fatemeh Salari, Reza Habashian, Arya Bahadori.

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