The Lebanese people are eagerly anticipating Pope Leo XIV's visit, viewing it as a source of hope and peace amidst years of turmoil. The country is making significant efforts to honor the Pope's arrival, with his portraits displayed prominently and infrastructure being improved. The visit is seen as a beacon of hope following a series of crises, including financial collapse, the Beirut port explosion, political instability, and ongoing conflicts. The population is experiencing significant stress due to the persistent state of war, including the constant presence of drones and the threat of renewed conflict. The Pope's visit is viewed by some with a mix of hope and irony, reflecting the difficult circumstances the country is facing.
14 days ago
Lebanese citizens across faiths eagerly awaited Pope Leo XIV's visit as a symbol of consolation and renewal after years of turmoil, including economic collapse, the 2020 Beirut port explosion, and ongoing conflicts with Israel and Hezbollah.1 Billboards featuring the Pope replaced political figures, and roads were hastily repaired, reflecting a rare burst of national mobilization amid widespread discouragement.1
Residents expressed mixed emotions, blending irony about the country's existential threats with deep resilience rooted in faith, particularly devotion to the Virgin Mary and St. Charbel, whose tomb the Pope planned to visit for the first time.1 Many viewed the trip as a moral compass in a nation paralyzed by political vacancy until early 2025 and strained by Syrian war spillover.1
Pope Leo XIV landed in Beirut on November 30, 2025, marking the second leg of his first apostolic journey after Turkey, greeted by President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Rai amid a 21-cannon salute.2 3 6 The warm reception, including traditional "dabke" dances despite rain, highlighted Lebanon's confessional pluralism, with the Pope dubbed "Baba Lawun" in Arabic.2 6
His motorcade passed through Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold scarred by recent Israeli strikes that killed leaders like Hassan Nasrallah in 2024, yet Shia clerics and locals extended welcomes, signaling tentative interfaith goodwill.3 4 5 The visit's motto, "Blessed are the peacemakers," underscored its focus on peace in a region near Syria and Israel.2
Lebanon grapples with a legacy of conflict, from the 1975-1990 civil war that killed 150,000 to the 1989 Ta'if Agreement, which rebalanced Christian-Muslim power but failed to curb corruption and foreign meddling.3 4 5 Recent woes include the 2019 protests against sectarianism, COVID-19, the Beirut blast killing 235, and a 2023-2024 Hezbollah-Israel war that displaced thousands, leaving a fragile November 2024 ceasefire tied to UN Resolution 1701.1 3 4 5
Economic devastation has fueled inflation, power shortages, and medicine scarcity, hosting two million refugees—nearly one-third of the population—while youth exodus threatens the fabric of this Christian-Islamic crossroads.2 3 6 Despite hosting more refugees per capita than any nation, religious institutions, especially Catholic ones, fill state voids in aid.2
At the presidential palace, Pope Leo XIV urged Lebanese leaders to embrace tenacity in peacemaking, praising their history of rising from trials like economic "killing" and identity radicalization.6 He emphasized reconciliation through honest dialogue, rejecting flight or convenience, and called for protecting life amid disappointment.6
The Pope highlighted the youth and family exodus, advocating Church efforts to enable safe returns and urging Christians, Muslims, and civil society to press international awareness for stability.6 President Aoun echoed this, warning that eroding any community's balance—Christians at 33% of the population, including over two million Catholics—could unleash regional extremism.6
The Pope's itinerary prioritized Lebanon's confessional pillars: meetings with the Maronite president, Shiite parliament speaker Nabih Berri, and Sunni prime minister, followed by addresses to authorities and diplomats.2 This structure affirmed Lebanon's democratic pluralism, distinguishing it from Middle Eastern neighbors, while interfaith unity, like shared Marian devotion since 2010, fosters hope.1 2
Patriarch Rai described the visit as a spiritual gift prompting societal change toward peace, beyond mere ceremonies.2 Political discontent simmers, with calls for the Pope to prioritize the poor over corrupt elites, yet faith in divine protection, including from the Virgin Mary, unites anticipation.1
The visit revives memories of past papal trips by Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, contrasting Pope Francis's canceled 2022 plans, and positions Leo XIV as a peacemaker in a weakened international order.1 Hopes center on bolstering Lebanon's "unity in diversity" vocation, countering leader distortions and alarming youth flight through solidarity like the "Offrejoie" initiative.1
By integrating spiritual and moral appeals, the Pope aims to transform perspectives, nurturing peace as a divine gift that reshapes hearts and communities in this resilient land.2 6
Investigate Catholic Church’s role in fostering peace amid Lebanese conflict
The Catholic Church has played a pivotal role in fostering peace amid Lebanon's protracted conflicts, particularly during the civil war from 1975 to 1990 and its aftermath. Through papal appeals, encouragement of interreligious dialogue, and spiritual solidarity, the Church has consistently advocated for reconciliation, justice, and the rejection of violence, viewing Lebanon as a vital model of pluralism and coexistence between Christians and Muslims. Drawing from centuries-old ties dating back to St. Paul, the Holy See has positioned itself as a moral voice urging dialogue over division, supporting Lebanese Catholics in their peacemaking efforts while calling on the international community to respect Lebanon's sovereignty. This involvement reflects the Church's broader mission to promote human dignity and fraternity in regions scarred by conflict.
Lebanon's conflicts, marked by sectarian tensions, external interferences, and waves of violence, have prompted repeated interventions from the Holy See since the mid-1970s. Pope Paul VI expressed profound concern as "sanguinary events" unfolded, warning that the "edifice of the Lebanese nation" risked collapse after generations of building brotherhood among diverse communities united by "love of their country and attachment to moral and spiritual values." He highlighted the Church's anxiety over the potential loss of this exemplary model of collaboration, emphasizing that external support alone would be "vain" without Lebanese renouncing "fighting and destruction" through "sincere and rapid negotiations." Similarly, in 1977, amid ongoing ruins and massacres, Pope Paul VI affirmed the Church's shared suffering, committing to "a work of persuasion" among Lebanese factions, international authorities, and even global bodies to reconstruct peace. These early messages underscore the Church's role not as a neutral observer but as an active promoter of stability, rooted in charity and fidelity to Gospel values.
By the 1990s, as the civil war waned but scars remained, Pope John Paul II continued this legacy. In 1990, he greeted Lebanon after "more than 15 years of suffering," expressing hope that ongoing peace processes would restore "freedom and peace" for all citizens, allowing each to participate responsibly in national life. He stressed that the conflict's resolution required overcoming "the logic of confrontation" with regional neighbors, while affirming that Lebanon's "disappearance" or erosion of its pluralistic "message" would be an "irreparable loss for the world." This advocacy extended to addressing the plight of exiles, urging them to remain attached to their homeland and contribute to economic recovery and hatred's overcoming. Throughout, the Church framed its involvement as a duty to honor the "memory of your many innocent countrymen who have been the victims of this endless conflict," ensuring their sacrifices were not in vain.
A cornerstone of the Church's peacemaking has been fostering dialogue among Lebanon's religious communities, particularly between Christians and Muslims, to heal divisions exacerbated by violence. Pope Paul VI praised the Christian community's initiatives in 1975, noting its promotion of conversations with Muslim authorities for "economic, moral, social and political progress." He supported efforts for Palestinian justice while prioritizing Lebanon's "sovereignty and independence from all exterior interference," calling for "mutual comprehension and brotherly dialogue" to lay down "fratricidal arms."[2†L4, L9-L10] This theme persisted into the papacy of John Paul II, who in 1991 urged Lebanese Catholics to rediscover their faith's roots amid 16 years of war, involving other Christians and Muslims in reflection for societal reconstruction. He invited Muslims to appreciate Catholics' efforts as a sign of closeness in "genuine convivenza and sincere collaboration."
In 2000, during the Great Jubilee, John Paul II encouraged Lebanon's Catholics to strengthen fraternal relations with other Churches, Ecclesial Communities, and monotheistic religions, especially Muslims, to build a "new Lebanon that can overcome misunderstandings" and prioritize the "happiness and prosperity of all her children." This interfaith focus was echoed in 2004, when he called on Catholics of various rites to pursue unity and engage in "interreligious dialogue with the Muslims, especially in the area of the education of the young through universities and schools, but also in the dialogue of life," positioning them as "true peacemakers." Such initiatives aimed to transform pluralism from a source of opposition into a national wealth, grounded in shared faith in one God to overcome violence-aggravated divisions. Pope John Paul II's 1994 address reinforced this by highlighting Lebanon's "rich, centuries-old tradition of collaboration between Christians and Muslims," describing the nation as "more than a country: it is a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for East and West."
The Church also honored those who embodied this spirit during the war. In 1997, upon arriving in Lebanon, Pope John Paul II paid homage to citizens—especially women and mothers—who exemplified "solidarity, fraternity, forgiveness and charity, even at the risk of their lives," serving as "leaven of unity, educators in peace and coexistence, and tireless dialogue partners." These acts of witness, he noted, countered the era's separations and oppositions among formerly friendly neighbors of different faiths.
Beyond dialogue, the Church has mobilized prayer and global solidarity as tools for peace. In 1989, amid devastation, Pope John Paul II expressed "praying solidarity" with Lebanese Catholics, asking no privileges but equal rights to practice their faith alongside Muslim brethren without "exclusion or discrimination." He called for a "great day of prayer for Lebanon," involving the universal Church to inspire "sincere thoughts of peace" among conflicting parties and prevent the severing of "roots of social life and cooperation." This spiritual dimension was vital, as the Church spoke, prayed, and acted to safeguard Lebanon's unique coexistence.
Internationally, the Holy See has implored action from the global community. Pope John Paul II repeatedly urged recognition of the United Nations' role in reducing tensions, as in 2004 when he called for courageous responsibility to end the "infernal cycle of reciprocal violence" involving Israelis and Palestinians, impacting Lebanon through refugee influxes. He emphasized "political courage" to recognize rights, including adversaries', and embrace "mutual forgiveness" to heal wounds. In 1997, he recalled his pontificate-long appeals for international help to rebuild a society of "justice and brotherhood," lamenting lives lost "in vain" and families displaced. Even in 1975, Pope Paul VI invoked divine wisdom and concord for Lebanese leaders, supplicating the Almighty for peace. These efforts positioned the Church as a bridge, supporting Lebanon's renewal while critiquing external fuels of conflict.
While sources highlight the Church's proactive stance, they acknowledge persistent challenges: deep scars from war, external pressures, and the need for all parties to reject violence definitively. The Holy See has been cautious, focusing on moral persuasion rather than political imposition, always faithful to its pastoral mission. In 1990, Pope John Paul II renewed appeals to religious leaders for "magnanimity, openness of spirit and understanding," cultivating "respect for others and fraternal solidarity." This nuanced approach ensures the Church's role remains one of inspiration, drawing from faith to witness Gospel values in society.
In conclusion, the Catholic Church's role in Lebanon's conflicts has been multifaceted—spiritual, dialogical, and advocacy-oriented—aiming to preserve a nation as a beacon of pluralism. From urgent ceasefires in the 1970s to interfaith education in the 2000s, papal interventions have consistently called for reconciliation rooted in shared humanity and divine mercy. Today, this legacy invites continued commitment to dialogue, ensuring Lebanon's "exemplary wealth of coexistence" endures for the Middle East and beyond. May the faithful, inspired by these teachings, pray and act for lasting peace.