Pope Leo wraps up debut visit abroad, calls for end to violence, 'new approaches' to peace in Lebanon

Pope Leo XIV concluded his three-day trip to Lebanon on Tuesday with an impassioned plea for an immediate end to hostilities and a rejection of division, telling a massive crowd that the Middle East must adopt “new approaches” to secure a lasting peace.

The supreme pontiff’s inaugural foreign trip culminated in an open-air mass on Beirut’s waterfront, which drew an estimated 150,000 people, including senior officials like President Joseph Aoun. The visit came at a critical time for Lebanon, a nation grappling with a crippling economic collapse and the fear of renewed conflict following last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Addressing the vast assembly, the Pope made an emotional appeal to world leaders. He urged “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.” He also specifically addressed the ongoing tensions, expressing his “aspiration for peace, along with a heartfelt appeal: may the attacks and hostilities cease.”

The pontiff acknowledged the complex challenges facing the entire region, stating that “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.”

Later, before departing from Beirut airport, the Pope offered a final message: “While weapons are lethal, negotiation, mediation and dialogue are constructive. Let us all choose peace as a way, not just as a goal!”

The Pope’s itinerary also included a deeply moving stop at the site of the catastrophic August 2020 port explosion, which devastated the capital and for which no one has been held accountable. Near the ruined grain silos, he spoke with grieving families. “I carry with me the pain, and the thirst for truth and justice, of so many families, of an entire country,” he said.

Sending a message of hope to Christians whose numbers have diminished in the region, the Pope said, “Christians of the Levant, citizens of these lands in every respect, I repeat, have courage. The whole Church looks to you with affection and admiration.” As the Pope departed, President Aoun thanked him, saying the visit “reminded us that the world has not forgotten Lebanon.”