Pope Leo XIV Calls for Unity, Hope During Lebanon Visit

Pope Leo XIV is set to call for peace and unity on his second day in Lebanon on Monday, delivering a message of hope to young people whose faith in their crisis-hit country has waned.

After arriving from Turkey on his first foreign trip as pontiff, Leo urged Lebanon’s leaders to serve the nation’s long-suffering people, many of whom have emigrated due to economic hardship.

Lebanon has been reeling from a six-year economic collapse widely blamed on official corruption and mismanagement. Tensions remain high as fears of renewed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah persist despite a ceasefire in November 2024.

Recent Israeli strikes have escalated concerns, while Lebanon’s cash-strapped government faces US pressure to disarm Iran-backed militants.

“Through our unity, we can overcome all difficulties,” said Elias Abou Nasr Chaalan, a 44-year-old jeweller and father of two, describing the country’s economic, social, and political struggles.

Leo will begin the day with a visit to a monastery in Annaya, north of Beirut, home to the tomb of Saint Charbel, a Maronite hermit canonised in 1977 whose image is widely revered across Lebanon.

He is then scheduled to address bishops and clergy at a shrine in Harissa, where a giant statue of Our Lady of Lebanon overlooks the Mediterranean. Later, he will participate in an inter-religious gathering in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square before meeting young people at the Maronite patriarchate in Bkerke.

Authorities have declared 1 and 2 December official holidays, imposing heightened security measures, including road closures and a ban on drone photography. Thousands of residents braved rainy weather to greet the pope’s convoy on Sunday.

Leo has repeatedly urged Lebanese leaders to commit themselves to serving the people and fostering reconciliation in a nation still marked by civil war divisions from 1975-1990.

“Peace is knowing how to live together, in communion, as reconciled people,” he said, highlighting the exodus of young people and families seeking a future abroad.

The 48-hour visit is eagerly anticipated in Lebanon, where the last papal visit was by Benedict XVI in 2012. In Turkey, Leo balanced political sensitivities while advocating for unity and respect for religious diversity.