Pope Leo XIV addressed the Lebanese people with a message of hope and resilience, praising their perseverance amid ongoing challenges. Speaking from Baabda Palace, the Pontiff said, “It is a great joy for us to visit this land, where peace is more than a word—it is a wish, a call, a gift, and an ever-open workshop.”
Turning to the Lebanese, His Holiness affirmed, “You are a people who do not surrender but triumph over adversity. You know how to renew yourselves, and your steadfastness is an indispensable hallmark.”
The Pope emphasized that commitment to peace “does not fear repeated setbacks, nor allow failure to obstruct it. A true seeker of peace accepts and embraces reality, and peace requires perseverance to protect life and allow it to flourish anew. You are a diverse nation, a community of communities bound by a language of priceless hope, which has always allowed you to begin again. You have endured economic crises and hardship, yet you have risen anew. Lebanon can proudly claim a civil society rich in competence and civic engagement.”
As he arrives in Beirut, Pope Leo XIV signs the Book of Honour at the Presidential Palace, meets with President Joseph Aoun, and receives the gift of a tennis racket and balls.
“On the first day of my visit to Lebanon, one of two countries that I am visiting on this first… pic.twitter.com/oQbQgznq10
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) November 30, 2025
Pope Leo XIV called on Lebanese citizens to “speak the language of hope, the language that unites, turning all groups into a harmonious society. Lebanese living abroad love their homeland and pray for you, while peacemakers pursue reconciliation through their deeds.”
His Holiness stressed that a culture of reconciliation requires recognition by authorities and institutions of the public good, noting that true peace is far more than a fragile balance between communities living separately under one roof.
“Peace,” the Pope continued, “means knowing how to live together side by side for a shared future. Only then can peace bring the prosperity that astonishes us when it transcends borders and divides.”
Highlighting the courage of those who pursue harmony, Pope Leo XIV said, “Peacemakers dare to endure even if it demands sacrifice. Returning to one’s homeland requires courage and insight, despite difficult circumstances.”
Source: Al-Manar Website
