Pope Leo XIV has started a crucial three-day visit to Lebanon, arriving in Beirut amid ongoing regional tensions and domestic challenges. This marks the first foreign trip of his papacy since his election earlier this year, as he aims to promote peace and unity in a nation struggling with conflict, economic hardship, and mass emigration.
Upon arrival, Pope Leo was warmly welcomed by crowds waving Lebanese and Vatican flags. His visit includes meetings with Lebanon’s top political leaders and civil society representatives.
Key moments include prayers at the Monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya, where he will honour Saint Charbel, a symbol of interfaith harmony. He will also participate in an interreligious assembly and celebrate Mass by the Beirut waterfront.
The pope will also observe a moment of silence at the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, a calamity that killed over 200 people and left deep national scars.
The pope underscored the urgent importance of stemming the migration of Lebanon’s youth and families, urging them to remain in their homeland despite adversity.
“We must not forget that remaining in our homeland and working day by day to develop a civilisation of love and peace remains something very valuable,” he said. His message framed peace as an act of courage and perseverance amid widespread uncertainty and suffering.
The visit follows heightened conflict, including a recent Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut targeting Hezbollah’s chief of staff, which caused casualties and shook the fragile ceasefire brokered a year ago. Pope Leo reiterated the Holy See’s backing for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, describing the Vatican as a “mediating voice” seeking justice for all.
Lebanon, with its remarkable religious diversity encompassing 18 recognised sects and the largest Christian population in the Arab world, will see Pope Leo meet leaders from Christian, Muslim, and Druze communities alike to foster national reconciliation.
This visit continues the Vatican’s longstanding diplomatic engagement in Lebanon and the Middle East, following previous papal visits that aimed to support peace and the Christian presence in the region. The pope will also visit a Catholic-run psychiatric hospital and symbolically plant a cedar tree at the presidential palace, signifying hope for Lebanon’s stability.