BEIRUT: Pope Leo arrived in Lebanon on Sunday, marking the second and final leg of his first overseas trip as the leader of the Catholic Church, with a message of peace and reconciliation for a country facing escalating regional tensions.
The first US pope flew from Turkey, where he spent four days highlighting the dangers posed by global conflicts and condemning violence in the name of religion. Hours before his arrival in Beirut, crowds gathered along the route from the airport to the presidential palace, waving Lebanese and Vatican flags in welcome.
During his visit, Pope Leo is scheduled to meet Lebanon’s president and prime minister and deliver an address, marking only his second formal speech to a foreign government. Lebanon, home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East, has been heavily impacted by the spillover of the Gaza conflict, including clashes between Israel and Hezbollah that led to a devastating Israeli offensive.
The country also hosts approximately 1 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees and continues to struggle with a deep economic crisis, raising concerns among Lebanese leaders that Israeli strikes could intensify in the coming months.
Pope Leo reaffirmed the Vatican’s long-standing stance that a two-state solution is the only viable resolution to the decades-long Israel-Palestine conflict. Speaking during a flight from Turkey to Lebanon, he stated: “We all know that at this time Israel still does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only solution. We are also friends with Israel and we are seeking to be a mediating voice between the two parties that might help them close in on a solution with justice for everyone.”
The Pope emphasized the Vatican’s support for the Palestinian state, noting that the Holy See officially recognized the State of Palestine in 2015. He also mentioned discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who supports the two-state proposal, adding that Turkey has an important role to play in advancing peace.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem expressed hope that Pope Leo’s visit would help end Israeli attacks, while Lebanon’s diverse communities, including Druze cleric Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, welcomed the papal presence as a “glimmer of hope.”
Despite heavy rain, the Pope was driven in the enclosed popemobile to the presidential palace, where crowds cheered under umbrellas as a traditional band performed and drummers beat large drums in celebration.
Since his election in May, Pope Leo has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the “martyred land” of Gaza and condemned the forced displacement of Palestinians. His visit to Lebanon underscores the Vatican’s role as a mediating voice in one of the world’s most enduring and sensitive conflicts.
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