Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon comes at a time when the Middle East and North Africa are undergoing profound transformations at the level of states and governments, marked by overlapping political, economic, and social challenges. In this context, the contours of a “new Middle East” are taking shape, where the interests of major powers intersect with the ambitions of influential regional states striving to consolidate their role and standing. At the heart of these dynamics, Lebanon stands at a crossroads, between the path of prosperity and stability on the one hand, and, perhaps, destruction and continued collapse on the other.
It is in this light that Pope Leo XIV’s visit becomes far more than a pastoral journey. It is a pivotal moment where history meets reality, where the spiritual dimension intersects with the human journey, and where history itself clashes with geography. From Turkey and then in Lebanon, the new Pope reaffirms the Church’s historical role and Lebanon’s vocation as a free space for dialogue, encounter, and peace in a world eroded by ideological divisions, reactionary movements, and an accelerating arms race.
In a consistent historical continuum, the Pope’s visit is also deeply rooted in the Church’s own heritage. Lebanon lies between the Churches of Antioch and Constantinople, two patriarchates that for centuries have formed a central axis of Eastern Christianity. Through its history and geographic-spiritual reach, Lebanon is a natural home for dialogue, among churches, among religions, and between the Christian East, its Muslim environment, and the wider world. Lebanon is not merely a homeland; it is, as Saint John Paul II said in the apostolic exhortation A New Hope for Lebanon, a true “message.” Its Constitution safeguards religious freedom, free expression, and the dignity of individuals and communities. In a world increasingly inclined toward isolationism and struggling with a loss of humanistic values, Pope Leo XIV’s visit shines a light on Lebanon as a “model” to be preserved and protected, a living testament to partnership between religions and cultures.
Key Moments of the Visit: Messages of Spiritual and Human Leadership
The various stages of Pope Leo XIV’s visit carry meanings that merit close attention:
1. Meeting with the Diplomatic Corps and Civil Society at the Presidential Palace
Here, the Pope delivers a powerful message: peacebuilding begins with constitutional institutions and governments that uphold human dignity and guarantee human rights. Peace, according to the Pope, is not simply a political decision but a human path grounded in respect for the individual and in a commitment to justice and development. He will undoubtedly remind diplomats that their duty goes beyond crisis management—they are called to prioritize the common good and to build bridges of peace among nations.
2. Meeting with Religious Leaders
Continuing the path of his predecessor, Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV’s presence in such a gathering affirms that dialogue among religions and cultures is not an occasional event but a long-term process requiring the courage to acknowledge the “other” in their difference. Religions are not a source of conflict but sources of hope and peace. The Pope will emphasize the importance of a “dialogue of life,” manifested through daily cooperation, purposeful action, and constructive exchange, far beyond mere passive coexistence.
3. Visit to the Tomb of Saint Charbel
This visit serves as a reminder of the role of holiness in anchoring Lebanon’s spiritual identity. Holiness is not only a historical phenomenon; it is a living force that helps infuse society with virtue at a time when moral and ethical values are increasingly eroding worldwide.
4. Meeting with the Sick and Poor at the Convent of the Sisters of the Cross
This encounter embodies the Church’s mission to place the human person—especially the weakest, the suffering, and the marginalized—at the heart of its work. The Church is called to remain a spiritual field hospital in a wounded world, bearing witness to people’s suffering and embodying God’s mercy.
5. Meeting with Consecrated Men and Women
This gathering is expected to renew the call to return to the roots of consecrated life, to rediscover its meaning in a non-Christian environment, and to highlight the missionary and spiritual radiance of Eastern Christians in the world.
6. Meeting with Youth
This will be an opportunity for the Pope to reaffirm his appeal to young people to remain attached to their land, to resist emigration, and to be ambassadors of faith in a rapidly changing world. He will encourage them to take an active role in ecclesial, civic, and national life, believing in their capacity to rebuild a fairer, more tolerant society amid the revolution of information technology, social media, and artificial intelligence.
7. Solemn Mass in Beirut
Beirut, “the mother of laws”, rises from its wounds like a phoenix, maintaining its spirit despite storms and upheavals. This capital, where sea meets literature, and music blends with the bustle of daily life, has always been a crossroads of civilizations and a haven for culture, art, and freedom.
In its old streets, churches stand beside mosques, and the sound of bells harmonizes with the call to prayer, an image that belongs to Beirut alone. The solemn Mass held there carries deep symbolism, reaffirming Lebanon’s role in shaping the cultural identity of the region. The Pope is expected to deliver a message that Lebanon must remain a beacon for East and West, a homeland where human dignity is upheld above all else.
8. Prayer at the Site of the Beirut Port Explosion
A moment of reflection at this tragic site, which witnessed one of the greatest disasters in Lebanon’s modern history. It is a call for the international community to stand with the victims and a demand for justice, compensation, and remembrance. This silent moment will urge the world to raise its voice against the barbarity of evil wherever it exists, to uphold truth, and to help heal the wounds that continue to shake the city and its people.
Pope Leo XIV’s presence in Lebanon offers an opportunity to revisit the nation’s core values: Are the Lebanese still able to protect their unique model of pluralism? Can this model continue to inspire coexistence and a true “dialogue of life”? Can Lebanese, Christians and Muslims alike, overcome internal challenges and preserve their unity amid external interference? Can Lebanon remain a space for dialogue rather than a battleground for conflict?
At a time when Lebanon stands between its foundational calling, a free, sovereign, and independent nation, and its current fragility as a country subject to regional and international pressures, though it has long offered the world the best its schools, universities, artists, churches, mosques, men, and women could give, rooted in faith, family, and love of the land, Pope Leo XIV reaffirms that Lebanon, through its people and its spiritual and cultural heritage, can rebuild itself if the “nation” rediscovers the essence of its belief in mercy, justice, and love. In doing so, it can become a platform for a global call to rediscover the meaning of fraternity in a region torn by war and in a fractured world.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon is not a mere protocol event; it is a message laden with Christian hope and promise; a message to the world that the East can still be a land of peace, a message to the Lebanese that their pluralistic identity is a treasure to preserve, a message to the Church that its presence in the East is of universal importance. Hence the critical need for a social contract that protects everyone and includes everyone.
The philosopher Hegel said: “Great men are those who have answered the call of history.” Future generations will record that Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon and spoke words what history will forever remember. So, will Lebanese respond to his call and return to safeguarding Lebanon with love and integrity? And will history record that great men from Lebanon answered the nation’s call to restore its true identity and offered the best of what they possess, in governance, ethics, conduct, and love for Lebanon… for Lebanon alone!