Pope Leo XIV concludes Beirut visit: Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message

Pope Leo XIV wrapped up his historic visit to Lebanon on Tuesday, urging peace, dialogue, and reconciliation across the country and the wider Middle East.

At Beirut Airport, President Joseph Aoun bid farewell, saying the pope’s visit “will remain engraved in the memory of Lebanon and its people.” Aoun added, “We heard your message and will continue to embody it. It remains our hope to always be in your prayers.”

He praised the resilience of Lebanese citizens, describing them as “a faithful people who reject death and departure… who have decided to stand firm with love, peace, and justice, and they deserve a life that befits them.”

Pope Leo XIV reflected on his time in Lebanon, highlighting the warmth and faith of its people. “Departing is often more difficult than arriving. We have spent time together, and in Lebanon, this spirit of encounter is contagious,” he said.

“While arriving in your country meant gently entering into your culture, leaving this land means carrying you in my heart. Thus, we are not leaving each other; rather, having met, we will move forward together.”

He praised the spiritual roots of Lebanon, noting his visits to the tomb of Saint Charbel and the Port of Beirut, the site of the devastating 2020 explosion. “I prayed for all the victims, and I carry with me the pain, and the thirst for truth and justice, of so many families, of an entire country,” he said.

He also paid tribute to regions he could not visit. “I greet all the regions of Lebanon that I was unable to visit: Tripoli and the north, the Beqaa and the south of the country, which is currently experiencing a state of conflict and uncertainty. In embracing all of you, I express my aspiration for peace, along with a heartfelt appeal: may the attacks and hostilities cease,” he added.

The pope called for an end to violence and a commitment to dialogue. “We must recognise that armed struggle brings no benefit. While weapons are lethal, negotiation, mediation and dialogue are constructive. Let us all choose peace as a way, not just as a goal!”

“Let us remember what Saint John Paul II reaffirmed while in your midst: Lebanon is more than a country; it is a message! Let us learn to work together and hope together, so that this may become a reality. May God bless the Lebanese people, all of you, the Middle East and all humanity!”

He concluded his remarks in Arabic, saying, “Shukran, ila alliqa’!” (goodbye and farewell).