Pope Leo arrives in Lebanon today on the second and final leg of his first overseas journey as head of the Catholic Church, carrying with him a powerful appeal for peace in a nation shaken by conflict and uncertainty. His visit comes at a time when Lebanon continues to endure Israeli air strikes, deepening the fears of communities already burdened by years of crisis.
The first American pope, Leo lands in Beirut after a four-day visit to Turkey, where he warned that humanity’s future is endangered by the unprecedented rise in violent conflicts across the world. He strongly condemned the use of religion as a justification for bloodshed, calling for global unity in defending human dignity.
Leo is expected to touch down at Beirut’s Hariri International Airport at 3.45pm (9.45pm Malaysian time), where he will later meet Lebanon’s president and prime minister before delivering an address to the nation’s leaders — marking only his second speech to a foreign government since becoming pope.
Lebanon, home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East, has been shaken by the spillover of the Gaza conflict. Escalating clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have sparked growing fears of a wider regional war, with many concerned about a dramatic increase in Israeli strikes in the coming months.
The nation is already hosting around one million Syrian and Palestinian refugees and grappling with a deep economic crisis that has stretched its resources to the limit. Against this backdrop, many Lebanese see Pope Leo’s visit as a timely symbol of unity and a reminder that the world has not forgotten them.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem expressed hope that Leo’s presence would help push for an end to Israeli attacks, while leaders from Lebanon’s diverse religious communities also welcomed the visit. Druze cleric Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna said the country “needs the glimmer of hope represented by this visit.”
A Journey of Faith Across Five Lebanese Cities
Pope Leo — relatively unknown globally before his election in May — has quickly captured international attention as he delivers his first speeches abroad and meets communities far beyond Italy’s Catholic heartlands.
During his stay in Turkey, he visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque. In a gesture of respect, he removed his shoes, though he did not pray inside as the Vatican had previously indicated, a moment that reportedly surprised several officials.
Now in Lebanon, the 70-year-old pontiff has a full schedule from Sunday through Tuesday, visiting five cities and towns before returning to Rome. However, he will avoid Lebanon’s south, an area heavily targeted by recent Israeli strikes.
His itinerary includes a solemn prayer at the site of the catastrophic 2020 Beirut port explosion — a tragedy that killed more than 200 people and caused billions in damage. He will also lead a large outdoor Mass on the Beirut waterfront and visit a psychiatric hospital, a rare mental health facility in the country, where staff and residents have been eagerly preparing for his arrival.
