On his first foreign trip as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV visits Lebanon for three days. Many hope the Pope’s visit might bring a moment of peace to a country living with constant uncertainty.
Pope Leo is set to visit Beirut, bringing hope to Lebanon’s Christians amid political turmoil and regional tensions.
His trip includes a symbolic stop at the port devastated by the 2020 explosion, where families still seek justice, dw.com reports.
The visit comes as Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah targets and occupies parts of southern Lebanon, fueling instability.
The Pope’s message of peace offers a rare moment of unity for a nation caught between war and fragile calm.
In the meantime, CNN reported that the six-day visit of Pope Leo XIV to Turkey and Lebanon which begins on Thursday marks his first foreign trip as Pontiff and highlights the central themes of his new papacy—dialogue, unity, and peace. Papal trips allow the Vatican to exercise soft power through meetings with political leaders, outreach to Catholic communities, and global attention to regional issues. His arrival in Beirut comes just days after Israeli strikes on the city, placing him at the heart of a conflict-torn Middle East.
The visit reinforces Pope Leo’s repeated appeals for harmony across the region, echoing the message of peace he delivered immediately after his election. Like Pope Francis — who traveled early in his papacy to war-affected nations — Leo is emphasizing peacemaking. His timing during the US Thanksgiving holiday adds symbolic weight, underscoring themes of gratitude and unity from the first American-born pope, who will deliver all speeches in English and French.
Pope Leo is fulfilling plans postponed by Pope Francis, who had intended to visit Lebanon in 2022 and Turkey in 2025. Both trips were delayed for health reasons. Leo was formally invited by the presidents of both countries, and Turkey carries particular significance as the home of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The visit continues the long-running Vatican effort to heal the East-West Christian divide dating back to the Great Schism of 1054.
A central purpose of Leo’s Turkey itinerary is the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, held in modern-day Iznik, where the Nicene Creed originated. He will join Patriarch Bartholomew and other church leaders for anniversary events, stressing reconciliation among Christian denominations. Environmental protection—an issue championed by Bartholomew, known as the “Green Patriarch”—will also feature. Leo will visit Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, celebrate Mass with thousands, and meet Turkey’s Chief Rabbi and religious authorities.
Leo arrives in Lebanon on Sunday to meet political leaders, youth groups, and religious figures from the country’s diverse Christian, Muslim, and Druze communities. His schedule includes a Mass on the Beirut waterfront and silent prayer at the site of the 2020 port explosion, which killed 218 people and injured thousands. He will visit the monastery of Saint Maron to pray at the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf and meet Lebanon’s 12 Christian communities, especially the Maronites, the country’s largest Christian group.
The Pope will also tour a major Catholic-run psychiatric hospital in Jal el-Dib and plant a cedar tree at the Presidential Palace. Local church leaders say his presence signals to the Lebanese people—who have endured crisis after crisis—that they are not forgotten. Throughout the trip, Leo will use car and military helicopter transport, with open vehicles chosen as security allows, and may hold a press conference on the return flight.
Pope Leo will stay in papal diplomatic residences in both countries, including the Apostolic Delegation in Istanbul. Although it is unclear whether he will celebrate Thanksgiving, family members have noted his fondness for traditional dishes such as stuffing. His journey underscores a diplomatic and spiritual mission aimed at strengthening Christian unity, promoting interfaith dialogue, and encouraging peace across the Middle East.
