Pope Francis praises Lebanon's resilience and urges them not to give up on peace

– Cindy Wooden, Beirut (Lebanon), CNS

Recognizing the existence of “highly complex, conflictive, and uncertain circumstances,” Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lebanon preaching peace and praising the resilience of its people.

Just a week before the Pope's arrival—today is November 30—Israel had carried out its latest attack on Lebanon, killing a Hezbollah commander and four militants in a suburb of Beirut.

Arriving from Istanbul after a two-hour flight, Pope Leo was welcomed at Beirut airport by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Cardinal Bechara Rai, Patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, the largest of Lebanon's Catholic churches.

After a 21-gun salute and the playing of the Lebanese and Vatican anthems, they proceeded to the presidential palace in Beirut.

Warm welcome, despite the rain

Hundreds of people gathered in the streets near the presidential palace to see the Pope, and many stayed even when heavy rain began to fall. The rain also did not prevent a dance group outside the palace from performing a traditional dabke with rhythmic footwork, which caused quite a stir.

Praise to the Lebanese 

After the private meetings, the president and the pope addressed some 400 government officials, as well as religious, business, cultural, and civic leaders.

Without mentioning Israel by name, Pope Leo praised in his speech the Lebanese as “a people who do not give up, but who, when faced with trials, always know how to rise again with courage.”.

Resilient peacemakers

“Your resilience is an essential characteristic of true peacemakers, for peace work It is, without a doubt, a continuous restart,” said the Pope. “Furthermore, commitment and love for peace do not know fear in the face of apparent defeat, they are not daunted by disappointment, but look forward, welcoming and embracing all situations with hope.”.

“It takes tenacity to build peace,” said Pope Leo. “It takes perseverance to protect and nurture life.”.

After two years of political tensions, the Lebanese parliament finally elected a president in January. The country has also experienced a prolonged economic crisis.

Back to the beginning

“You have suffered greatly from the consequences of an economy that kills,” said the Pope, using a phrase that Pope Francis often employed, as well as «the radicalization of identities and conflicts.».

«But you have always wanted and known how to start over,» Pope Leo told the leaders. That effort, he said, requires reconciliation, which can only come from honest dialogue.

“Truth and reconciliation only grow together, whether in a family, between different communities and among the various inhabitants of a country, or between nations,” he said.

Courage to stay

For many Lebanese, “there are times when it is easier to flee, or simply more convenient to move elsewhere,” he said. “It takes real courage and foresight to stay or return to one's own country and consider even the most difficult situations as worthy of love and dedication.”.

Lebanon, which hosts more refugees per capita than any other country, is experiencing “an exodus of young people and families,” the Pope said. .

The Church, he said, “does not want anyone to be forced to leave their country. What's more, it wants those who wish to return home to be able to do so safely.”

Leaders: how to encourage them to stay and work for peace

Leaders in Lebanon and other countries in the region must ask themselves what they can do to encourage young people to stay and work for peace in their home countries rather than seeking it elsewhere, the Pope said. .

“In this regard,” he said, “Christians and Muslims together, and all religious and civil components of Lebanese society, are called upon to play their part and commit themselves to raising awareness of this issue among the international community.”.

Christians, one-third of the population

Although most Lebanese are Muslim, Christians represent at least 33% of the country's population. The Vatican estimates that there are over 2 million Catholics; in addition to Maronites, the Catholic community also includes Melkite, Armenian, Syriac, Chaldean, and Latin Rite Catholics.

Balance between Christian and Muslim communities

Aoun, in his speech at the meeting, said that “if Christians in Lebanon were to disappear, the delicate balance” of strong Christian and Muslim communities living together “would collapse, and with it justice.”.

“Similarly, any harm to the Muslim community in Lebanon would also destabilize the situation and undermine justice,” the president said. “The downfall of Lebanon, precipitated by the loss of any of its components, would fuel the rise of extremism, violence, and bloodshed both in our region and around the world.”.

The motto of the trip: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”.

Under this motto, the Pope prayed that “the desire for peace, which comes from God, may grow among all Lebanese because, even today, peace can transform the way we look at others and the way we live together on this land, a land that God deeply loves and continues to bless.”.

Monday's schedule 

The Pope will visit and pray tomorrow morning at the tomb of Saint Charbel Maklouf, in the monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya. Afterwards, the Holy Father will meet with the hierarchy, priests, and religious men and women at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. In the early afternoon, there will be an ecumenical and interreligious meeting, followed by a meeting with young people at around 5:00 p.m.