Pope Leo XIV has issued a heartfelt plea for Christians to remain in Lebanon, during his first official papal visit to the nation. Arriving on Sunday, the Pontiff directly addressed the decades-long trend of Christian emigration fuelled by conflict, economic collapse, and political instability.
A Call to Remain and Rebuild
In his opening address, Pope Leo challenged Lebanon's political leaders to set aside differences and become peacemakers. He simultaneously directed a crucial message to the country's Christian community, which makes up roughly a third of Lebanon's five million people. "We will stay here," affirmed pilgrim May Noon, echoing the Pope's sentiment outside the St Charbel Monastery. "No one can uproot us from this country."
The Vatican views Lebanon's Christian population as a vital bulwark for the faith in the Middle East. Lebanon holds the region's highest percentage of Christians and is the only Arab country with a Christian head of state, a provision of its power-sharing agreement since independence from France in 1943.
Historic Visit at a Time of Deep Crisis
The Pope's journey comes at an exceptionally fragile moment for Lebanon. The nation is grappling with a severe economic crisis, political deadlock, and the lasting trauma of the 2020 Beirut port explosion. Recent divisions over the role of Hezbollah and last year's war with Israel have further damaged the social fabric.
"We, as Lebanese, need this visit after all the wars, crises and despair that we have lived," said Reverend Youssef Nasr. Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, who accompanied a diaspora group from Australia, emphasised the need to support families to stay, stating, "We don’t like to see more and more people leaving Lebanon, especially the Christians."
Messages of Interfaith Unity and Hope
Pope Leo's itinerary underscored his core themes of coexistence and perseverance. On Monday, he prayed at the tomb of St Charbel Makhlouf, a saint revered by both Christians and Muslims, offering a lamp as a gift of light. "Today we entrust to St Charbel’s intercession the needs of the church, Lebanon and the world," he said in French. "For the world, we ask for peace. We especially implore it for Lebanon and for the entire Levant."
The Pontiff received enthusiastic welcomes from crowds undeterred by rain, with many waving Lebanese and Vatican flags. His schedule included an interfaith gathering in Beirut with Christian and Muslim leaders, aiming to hammer home his message of unity. He was due to end the day at a youth rally in Bkerki, the seat of the Maronite church, encouraging young Lebanese to persevere despite the nation's profound challenges.
