Visiting Lebanon, Pope Leo pleads for peace and justice

By CathNews New Zealand

December 5th, 2025

Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful from the popemobile before he celebrates Mass in Beirut, Lebanon, on the final day of his first apostolic journey on December 2, 2025. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)

In Lebanon on his first apostolic visit outside Italy, Pope Leo XIV repeatedly called for peace, justice and a concerted effort by all Lebanese to build a better future for themselves and their families. Source: Catholic News Service.

On December 2, the last day of his visit, he implored “the international community once again to spare no effort in promoting processes of dialogue and reconciliation”, and he appealed “to those who hold political and social authority here and in all countries marked by war and violence: Listen to the cry of your peoples who are calling for peace”.

“The Middle East needs new approaches in order to reject the mindset of revenge and violence, to overcome political, social and religious divisions, and to open new chapters in the name of reconciliation and peace,” he said. “We need to change course. We need to educate our hearts for peace.”

He did not mention by name Hezbollah, the militant Islamic fighters who target Israel from Lebanon, nor did he mention Israel, which has been striking Lebanese cities and towns for more than two years, claiming they were targeting Hezbollah.

On December 2, Pope Leo prayed at the Beirut port, site of the chemical explosion in 2020 that killed more than 200 people, injured some 7000 and left an estimated 300,000 people displaced.

Pope Leo laid a wreath, lit a candle and prayed before greeting the families and survivors who still bear the scars of their injuries. A young woman, crying, asked for a hug, which the Pope gave her before putting his hand on her head and blessing her.

He later celebrated Mass on the waterfront in Beirut, and said he was deeply moved by his visit to the port.

On December 1, he visited the tomb of St Charbel at the Monastery of St Maron in Annaya. After entrusting the Catholics of Lebanon and the entire country to St Charbel’s care, Pope Leo went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa and listened, like St Charbel often did, to the cries of people’s hearts about experiences of war and welcoming refugees.

Pope Leo also met 15,000 young people after meeting their elders – representatives of the country’s Christian, Muslim, Druze and Alawite communities – in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square.

For Christians, the Pope told the young people, Jesus is the first person to look to for help both with peace and with relationships because both require love.

Before visiting Lebanon, Pope Leo also visited Türkiye from November 27-30.

FULL STORY

Choose the way of peace, pope says as he leaves Lebanon (By Cindy Wooden/CNS)

Love without fear, pope tells Lebanese church workers (CNS)

Lebanese have what is needed to build a future of peace, pope says (CNS)

Pope urges Lebanese not to give up on peace or each other (CNS)

Pope tells reporters dialogue is always the answer to tense situations (CNS)