Pope Leo Announces Lebanon Visit Amid National Crisis
VATICAN CITY (WHN) – Pope Leo will travel to Lebanon for a three-day apostolic journey from November 15-17, the Vatican confirmed Tuesday, a significant visit intended to promote interfaith dialogue and offer support to a nation grappling with an unprecedented economic collapse and political deadlock.
The trip is confirmed. Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni stated the journey will be a “pilgrimage of peace and fraternity” during a press briefing.
This marks Pope Leo’s first visit to the Middle Eastern nation. The announcement follows months of diplomatic exchanges between the Holy See and Lebanese authorities, including Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, who has repeatedly urged the pontiff to visit.
The Lebanese Presidential Palace issued an immediate response. A statement from President Elias Murr’s office called the upcoming visit a “historic moment of hope for all Lebanese people, regardless of their faith.”
“The Holy Father’s presence on Lebanese soil is a powerful message of solidarity to a people who have suffered greatly,” the presidential statement read.
A provisional itinerary indicates Pope Leo will hold meetings in the capital, Beirut. He is scheduled to meet with government officials, including President Murr and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, at the Baabda Palace.
Itinerary and Key Events
The pontiff is expected to preside over a large public Mass at the Beirut waterfront, a location chosen for its capacity and symbolic proximity to the site of the devastating 2020 port explosion. He will also hold a major interfaith meeting with Christian, Muslim, and Druze religious leaders.
A visit to the Bekaa Valley is also under consideration. The potential stop would focus on meeting with refugees and aid workers from organizations like Caritas Lebanon, a person familiar with the planning told WHN.
Patriarch al-Rahi described the news as a “divine blessing for a nation in desperate need of solace.” He emphasized the visit’s importance for Lebanon’s historic role as a model of religious coexistence in the region.
Security preparations are already underway. A joint delegation of the Vatican Gendarmerie and Swiss Guards will coordinate directly with Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces to secure the pontiff’s movements. The security protocol is expected to be extensive given the country’s fragile stability.
A Nation in Crisis
Pope Leo’s journey comes as Lebanon faces one of the world’s worst economic crises since the mid-19th century, according to the World Bank. The local currency has lost more than 98% of its value, pushing a vast majority of the population below the poverty line.
The political situation remains deeply fractured. The country has been without a fully functioning government for extended periods, hindering essential economic reforms required to unlock international aid.
The Christian community, one of the oldest in the world, has seen its numbers diminish due to emigration fueled by the economic despair and lack of opportunity. Church leaders hope the papal visit will encourage Christians to remain in their ancestral homeland.
Logistical details of the papal flight and media accreditation will be released by the Holy See Press Office by a deadline of October 1.
