Pope Leo concludes Apostolic Visit to Lebanon

Pope Leo appeals for peace as he concludes Mass at the Beirut Waterfront (@Vatican Media)

Source: Vatican Media

Pope Leo began the last day of his Apostolic Visit to Lebanon on Tuesday with prayers at the site of the catastrophic explosion of 2020 in the Port of Beirut that killed over 200 people, wounded 7,000, and left 300,000 without homes.

The Holy Father stood for several minutes before the monument bearing the names of all the victims as the world looked on. He then bent to touch a wreath of red roses placed at its base, lit a candle and raised his hands in prayer.

Behind him were piles of rubble from the blast, and standing against the grey sky were the tattered grain silos, very close to where the explosion originated. Between the Pope and the debris were the families of victims and survivors from the blast, holding photos of their loved ones. After praying, the Pope greeted some of them.

Watch the official video of the Silent Prayer before the monument commemorating the victims of the explosion at the Port of Beirut: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Wo5L1Ve-Y

After the prayers Pope Leo XIV presided at Mass on the Beirut waterfront, attended by an estimated 150,000 people.

As the Mass began, Patriarch Youssef Absi, Greek Melkite Patriarch of Antioch, recalled that the vast majority of Lebanon's Catholics belong to the Eastern Churches. He thanked the Pope for his care for Eastern-rite Catholics and for bringing a message of joy and peace to Lebanon.

In his homily, Pope Leo expressed his gratitude for the joyful welcome he received in Lebanon, praising God for allowing him to visit.

Despite the difficult situations many people face in their daily lives, he said, Christians must always cultivate an attitude of praise and gratitude.

The Pope marvelled at the beauty of Lebanon sung about in Sacred Scripture, but lamented that this beauty has been "overshadowed by poverty and suffering, the wounds that have marked your history."

"The beauty of your country," he said "is also overshadowed by the many problems that afflict you, the fragile and often unstable political context, the dramatic economic crisis that weighs heavily upon you and the violence and conflicts that have reawakened ancient fears."

Amid these worries and issues, we can let disillusionment overcome our gratitude and uncertainty overwhelm our hope.

"The word of the Lord, however, invites us to find the small shining lights in the heart of the night, both to open ourselves to gratitude and to spur us on to a common commitment for the sake of this land," he said.

Pope Leo XIV ended the Mass with an appeal for everyone to work for peace.

Recalling that he came to Lebanon as a pilgrim of hope, the Pope prayed for the gift of peace for "this beloved land, marked by instability, wars, and suffering."

"Dear Christians of the Levant, when the results of your efforts for peace are slow in coming, I invite you to lift your gaze to the Lord who is coming!" he said. "Let us look to Him with hope and courage, inviting everyone to set out on the path of coexistence, fraternity and peace."

He encouraged them to be "artisans of peace, heralds of peace, witnesses of peace."

Pope Leo noted that the Middle East requires new approaches to reset the mindset of revenge and violence, as well as to overcome divisions and build reconciliation and peace.

"The path of mutual hostility and destruction in the horror of war has been traveled too long, with the deplorable results that are before everyone's eyes," he said. "We need to change course; we need to educate our hearts for peace."

Pope Leo XIV then prayed for the Middle East and all peoples who suffer because of war. "I also offer hopeful prayers for a peaceful solution to the current political disputes in Guinea-Bissau," he said. "Nor do I forget the victims, and their dear families, of the fire in Hong Kong."

The Pope prayed especially for Lebanon and called on the international community and politicians to spare no effort to promote dialogue and reconciliation in all places torn by war and violence.

In conclusion, Pope Leo urged Christians in the region to be courageous in the face of difficulty.

"Finally, to you, Christians of the Levant, citizens of these lands in every respect, I repeat: have courage!" he said. "The whole Church looks to you with affection and admiration. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Harissa, protect you always."

Watch Vatican Media's video of the Mass: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaIWDwf0m7M

Later in the day, an official Farewell Ceremony took place at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport as Pope Leo XIV concluded his six day Apostolic Journey to Türkiye and Lebanon.

He said: "We hope to involve the entire Middle East in this spirit of fraternity and commitment to peace, including those who currently consider themselves enemies."

Looking back at the last three days in Lebanon, Pope Leo highlighted the country's rich spiritual heritage and the resilience of its people and upheld the deep veneration for the Blessed Virgin Mary shared by both Christians and Muslims.

He specifically recalled his visit to the tomb of Saint Charbel, noting that Lebanon's history provides sustenance for the journey toward a peaceful future.

He also addressed the ongoing challenges facing the country and expressed his solidarity with victims of the Beirut port explosion, saying, "I carry with me the pain, and the thirst for truth and justice, of so many families, of an entire country."

And he extended greetings to all regions of Lebanon, including those he could not visit: "Tripoli and the north, the Beqaa and the south of the country, which is currently experiencing a state of conflict and uncertainty."

Calling for an end to hostilities, he said: "We must recognise that armed struggle brings no benefit. While weapons are lethal, negotiation, mediation and dialogue are constructive. Let us all choose peace as a way, not just as a goal!"

The Pope further invoked the words of Saint John Paul II: "Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message!"

"Let us learn to work together and hope together, so that this may become a reality."