Pope Leo XIV departs Lebanon urging ceasefire, dialogue & peace in Middle East; praises nation’s resilience & shared devotion to Virgin Mary.
Newsroom (02/12/2025 Gaudium Press ) In a poignant farewell address at Beirut International Airport on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV concluded his six-day apostolic journey to Türkiye and Lebanon, calling for an immediate cessation of attacks in the region and emphasizing negotiation and dialogue as the path to lasting peace.
Speaking to Lebanon’s President, parliamentary leaders, prime minister, patriarchs, bishops, and assembled dignitaries, the pontiff described departure as “often more difficult than arriving,” noting that Lebanon’s contagious spirit of encounter had left an indelible mark.
“While arriving in your country meant gently entering into your culture, leaving this land means carrying you in my heart,” he said. “Thus, we are not leaving each other; rather, having met, we will move forward together.”
The Pope expressed hope that the fraternity experienced in Lebanon could extend across the Middle East, “including those who currently consider themselves enemies.”
Fulfilling a wish of his predecessor Pope Francis—who had long desired to visit Lebanon—Leo XIV said the late pontiff was spiritually present, walking alongside other Gospel witnesses now in “God’s eternal embrace.”
During the visit, the Holy Father highlighted the profound veneration shared by Lebanese Christians and Muslims for the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed at the tomb of Saint Charbel, whom he credited with revealing the nation’s deep spiritual roots.
A brief stop at the Port of Beirut, site of the catastrophic 2020 explosion, visibly moved the pontiff. “I prayed for all the victims,” he said, “and I carry with me the pain, and the thirst for truth and justice, of so many families, of an entire country.”
Comparing the Lebanese people to the cedars of their mountains—strong and enduring—and to the olive trees of their plains—fruitful even amid hardship—Pope Leo XIV extended greetings to regions he could not visit, including Tripoli in the north and the southern cities of Tyre and Sidon, biblical landmarks currently affected by conflict.
In a direct appeal, he declared: “May the attacks and hostilities cease. We must recognize that armed struggle brings no benefit. While weapons are lethal, negotiation, mediation and dialogue are constructive. Let us all choose peace as a way, and not just as a goal!”
Quoting Saint John Paul II’s famous description of Lebanon as “more than a country; it is a message,” the Pope urged the nation to continue working and hoping together so that this vision becomes reality.
Concluding in Arabic, he said: “May God bless the Lebanese people, all of you, the Middle East and all humanity! Shukran, ila al-liqa’!”—Thank you, until we meet again.
The apostolic journey, which also marked the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea with a pilgrimage to İznik (ancient Nicaea) in Türkiye, ended with the Pope’s departure from Beirut, leaving behind a resounding call for peace in a region still gripped by tension.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican.va
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