Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to arrive in Beirut this Sunday for a historic visit coming from Turkey. His expected landing at Rafic Hariri International Airport around 3:45 PM (Beirut time) will be marked by an official welcoming ceremony, followed by a popular reception along the airport route.
Beirut and other parts of the country have been adorned with greeting bulletins honoring the esteemed pontiff, even as the country continues to suffer from ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations. The latest escalation struck Beirut’s Dahiyeh district, which was decorated with banners welcoming the Pope that read: “The devotees of Imam Sadr (may God preserve him) and Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah (may God be pleased with him) warmly welcome His Holiness the Pope to their eternal homeland, Lebanon – Union of Southern Beirut Municipalities.”
During the visit, the Pope will meet Lebanon’s three top officials, representatives of civil society, the diplomatic corps, and senior religious leaders. Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces have announced temporary road closures and traffic restrictions along the convoy route from the airport to the Presidential Palace and onward to the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa.
The two-day program includes a visit and prayer at Saint Charbel’s tomb in Annaya, meetings with bishops and Catholic patriarchs, an interfaith gathering in Martyrs’ Square, a youth meeting in Bkerki, and a visit to the Beirut Port explosion site. The Pope will conclude the visit with a Mass at the Beirut waterfront and a farewell ceremony before returning to Rome.
Source: Al-Manar Website
