Greek Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim passed away

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim passed away Wednesday morning at a Beirut hospital after suffering a stroke a day earlier. Hazim's funeral will be held Sunday at 12 p.m. at St. Nicolas Church while an acting patriarch will be nominated Thursday. Lebanese leaders described Hazim's passing as a loss for Lebanon and the region and praised his role as a religious leader who believed in the principle of coexistence. Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that the day of Hazim's funeral would be a national day for mourning and praised the late patriarch for the role he played in the region. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said the passing of Hazim represented the loss of a national and spiritual pillar of Lebanon.