US EditionIn Battered Lebanon, an Ancient Christian Community Awaits the New Pope
Pope Leo XIV will hold a public Mass attended by over 150,000 and offer silent prayers at the Beirut blast site to support Lebanon's Christian community amid ongoing crises.
- On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV will arrive in Beirut, Lebanon from Istanbul for his first foreign trip since his May election and will depart for Rome on Tuesday after a three-day visit.
- Amid economic and social shocks, Lebanese Christians hope the visit offers comfort after years of conflict as Lebanon's Christian community, still 30 to 35 percent of the population, reckons with the 2020 Port of Beirut blast that killed more than 230 people.
- Organizers have set up the waterfront stage and tens of thousands of chairs for the Beirut waterfront Mass expecting more than 150,000 attendees, with a silent prayer planned at the Port of Beirut blast site on Tuesday.
- Lebanese authorities declared a two-day public holiday as Lebanese abroad and foreign visitors travel for the visit, with supporters saying it shows Lebanese they are not alone.
- A week before landing, an Israeli strike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in Beirut, while Hezbollah has not fired on Israel since the ceasefire on November 27 last year.
18 Articles
18 Articles
On a visit to the Middle East country from 30 November to 2 December, the Pope made his first trip abroad. In this state in permanent crisis, his arrival crystallises various expectations.
Lebanon is preparing for the visit of Pope Leo XIV, and many people are looking forward to the event. The last time a Pope was visiting more than ten years ago, a journey with symbolic power. By Anna Osius.
If papal displacement should not upset the situation, Vatican diplomacy should reaffirm its commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Weary, MENA Christians see hope in Pope Leo’s visit to Lebanon
Christians in Lebanon and across the region are preparing for the Pope’s visit on Sunday, hoping it will bring a measure of comfort after years of conflict and upheaval. Pope Leo is scheduled to arrive in Beirut from Istanbul, marking his first foreign trip since his election in May to succeed the late Pope Francis. Lebanon has declared a two-day public holiday for the visit. The crisis-stricken country is looking for a moment to breathe. This w…
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