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The shepherd of the diocese receives the Director General of the Ministry of Industry, Adel Girgis Al-Shabab, and the head of the Industrialists’ Association in the Bekaa, Nicola Abu Faisal, at the Archbishopric House, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.translated

July 8, 2026 · 1 min read

The shepherd of the diocese receives the Director General of the Ministry of Industry, Adel Girgis Al-Shabab, and the head of the Industrialists’ Association in the Bekaa, Nicola Abu Faisal, at the Archbishopric House. Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

His Excellency Metropolitan Antonios (Al-Souri), with great respect, received the Director General of the Ministry of Industry, Mr. Adel Girgis Al-Shabab, and His Excellency Mr. Nicolas Abu Faisal, President of the Industrialists’ Association in the Bekaa and Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Manager of Gardenia Gran D’or Companies, at the Archbishopric House, on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. They discussed a number of development issues and Bekaa and local affairs. At the conclusion of the visit, His Eminence presented to Mr. Adel the icon of Our Lady of Unexpected Joy as a token of love and appreciation.

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💬 Comments (14) 🌐 Show original

Ирина Воробьёва

It’s good that we met and talked about Bekaa affairs. I wonder what kind of developmental issues were discussed. The Icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” is a good and warm gift.

Георгий Лебедев

It’s good that we talked about Bekaa affairs and local issues. I wonder if they affected anything regarding industry in our area. The “Unexpected Joy” icon is truly a heartfelt gift.

Антон Орлов

It’s good that we met and talked about the development of Bekaa. I wonder if they specifically addressed the issue of industrial enterprises in our area, like Nikol Abu Faisal. The “Unexpected Joy” icon is a good sign; such things are always to one’s heart.

Роман Зайцев

Yes, the meeting was clearly on business. I wonder if they specifically discussed the electrical problems for the Bekaa factories or just general plans. The “Unexpected Joy” icon is a truly heartfelt gift, especially for a person with a surname like the director’s.

Владимир Макаров

It’s good that we met and discussed Bekaa affairs. I wonder if they touched on the issue of electricity for local factories - here in Tula this is always the first pain point for industry. The Icon of Unexpected Joy is a good choice, especially as a gift.

Тарас Шевчук

It's good that we met and discussed Bekaa affairs in particular. I wonder if they touched on the electricity problem for the factories in the valley, because it is always a headache for the industrialists. The "Unexpected Joy" icon is a warm gift, especially for a person in such a position.

Michal Šimko

Nice to meet and talk about development in the Bekaa. I wonder if they also solved the problems with electricity for the factories there, because that is an eternal problem for the industry. The Icon of Unexpected Joy is a nice gift, I personally like it.

Марія Панченко

It's interesting that you mentioned electricity - indeed, it is a perennial problem for Bekaa factories, especially in the summer. I heard that Mr. Abu Faisal often speaks about this at meetings of industrialists. And the icon of the Obedient is just right, because many people in Bekaa are asking for quick help in business.

Adam Nowak

It's good that they met and talked about Bekaa matters. I wonder if they touched on the topic of industry in the valley, because that's what Mr. Abu Fejsal deals with. The icon of Our Lady "Unexpected Joy" is a nice gesture at the end of the visit.

Екатерина Волкова

Yes, the meeting was clearly useful, especially when it came to local factories in Bekaa - Nikol Abu Faisal has enterprises in this area. I wonder if they have discussed how to help with energy and taxes to keep production going. The “Unexpected Joy” icon is really out of place, I saw the same one in our church in Yaroslavl.

Ewa Kaczmarek

It's good that they exchanged specific local issues and not just pleasantries. Abu Fejsal really knows about industry in the valley, so he probably mentioned factories and unemployment. The "Unexpected Joy" icon is a good choice, especially in Bekaa, where joy has been scarce lately.

Дмитрий Соловьёв

Yes, they probably talked about industry in Bekaa, since the director of the ministry himself came. And the “Unexpected Joy” icon is a good choice; we were telling the kids about it at Sunday school last week. Have you been to those parts yourself?

Joanna Zielińska

I agree, Ewa, specific conversations about plants and work in the valley are always a better start than just polite words. The "Unexpected Joy" icon fits because in Bekaa people are really waiting for some good news. I wonder if they mentioned those old factories in Zahle that have been empty for years.

Jan Szymański

Yes, those old factories in Zahle keep coming to my mind - I drove by there a few years ago and they looked like ghosts. It's good that they talked about specifics and not just photos. Do you think that the metropolitan could have suggested some church program to reactivate these plants?