Crisis in Lebanon, a land of sanctuary for many

Lovely piece in current issue of 'The Tablet' on Lebanon.

Patrick Page describes his encounters on walking the country's length from north to south.

There are 18 officially recognised groups in Lebanon: Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Isma'ili, Alawite, Druze, Jewish, Assyrian Church of the East, Protestant, Latin Catholic, Melkite Greek Catholic, Chaldean Catholic, Syriac Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Coptic.

The president must be Maronite Catholic, the prime minister Sunni and the speaker of the house Shia.

Lebanon has taken in approximately 1.5 million Syrians fleeing war. Refugees make up 25 per cent of the population.

And not to forget, Lebanon produces some of the finest wines in the world.

The current political crisis and resignation of the prime minister was sparked when the government tried to tax internet calls.