There are places in the world that don’t just welcome you, they embrace your heart. Lebanon is one of them. A land blessed with many saints, where ancient prayers seem to echo through every mountain and valley, and whose people carry a beauty and resilience that feels almost sacred.
Before my journey, someone told me, “Please kiss the soil of Lebanon for me.”
Those words stayed with me. They revealed something profound, the deep unshakable love the Lebanese people have for their homeland. Even those who have left, because of instability and hardship, carry Lebanon in their hearts. In fact, their love for Lebanon seems to grow even stronger in the diaspora, nourishing a hope that one day peace will become a permanent reality, and they will once again walk without fear upon this blessed soil.
During my visit, I encountered extraordinary people whose lives are beautiful testaments to faith in action.
I met Sr. Magda, a woman of remarkable compassion, who has dedicated her entire life to serving Palestinian Christians in the only Christian camp in Beirut. As a nurse, she tends to their physical health; as a protector of dignity, she ensures that children have access to education and a chance at a meaningful future. Her presence is a quiet miracle in a place that has known far too much suffering. In the same camp, I met a remarkable family, mother, father, two daughters, and a son, for whom service is a way of life. Their kindness, simplicity, and generosity reminded me that true greatness is often hidden in humble hearts.
I also met Sr. Marie Claude Naddaf, who, alongside a group of courageous women, fights human trafficking in Lebanon and across the Middle East. They know that their mission is dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, yet they continue, driven by love and a burning conviction that every human being deserves freedom and dignity.
At St. John the Merciful Centre, I witnessed a daily miracle: 1,500 poor and hungry people receiving a warm meal each day. I saw bishops walking hand in hand with their faithful, caring for the needy in their parishes with tenderness and determination.
I visited Sesobel, the only institution in Lebanon that serves children living with severe disabilities. They survive entirely through donations, yet what they offer is priceless: unconditional love, dignity, and hope.
And I met sisters who care for hundreds of elderly people entrusted to them, people they love and accompany gently until the moment they cross into eternal life. Their quiet, selfless service is nothing short of holy.
These are only a few examples of the extraordinary work supported by CNEWA Canada, made possible through the incredible generosity of Canadian donors. Their kindness reaches far across the ocean, transforming lives in ways that words can barely capture.
But above all, what touched me most deeply was the living faith of the Lebanese people. A radiant, unwavering faith. A faith intertwined with the saints born on this sacred land, that continues to shine even in surrounding darkness . Lebanon is, truly, a blessed country.
And I pray that one day peace will be a perpetual reality, and that its people will rejoice in it and live it fully in the land God entrusted to them. When Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon, I could see hope in people’s eyes, the hope that his presence might be the beginning of the stable, long-lasting peace . Their longing is deep, but so is their faith.
Lebanon may face trials, but its heart soars with life, holiness, and love.
And that is, I believe, where miracles begin.
