Pope Leo XIV delivers peace message to 150,000 at Beirut Mass

BEIRUT — With a rainbow dotting the early morning sky, tens of thousands of people gathered on Beirut’s waterfront on Tuesday to visit Pope Benedict XIV. They gathered to participate in public prayers led by Leo; It was the culmination of an international debut in which the US-born pastor repeatedly called for peace at a time of escalating war.

Addressing a crowd of estimated 150,000 people, including much of Lebanon’s political class, Leo described himself as “a pilgrim of hope bound for the Middle East.” He begged “God for the gift of peace to this beloved land marked by instability, wars and suffering.”

It was a message that resonated deeply in Lebanon, a country that has seen more than its share of all three in recent years.

In 2019, its economy collapsed, its currency lost more than 98% of its value, and most people’s savings were nearly wiped out.

A year later, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in the port of Beirut exploded, killing hundreds and wreaking havoc on a large swath of the Lebanese capital. Blamed on gross negligence at all levels of government, the disaster has become a symbol of widespread corruption in Lebanon, but not a single official has yet been charged.

Then came war between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah in 2023. A US-brokered ceasefire in November 2024 was supposed to end hostilities, but more than a year later Israel still occupies parts of southern Lebanon and launches almost daily airstrikes; These measures are said to be vital to thwart Hezbollah’s reconstruction attempts. (A week before Leo’s arrival, Israeli warplanes hit an apartment in the suburbs of Beirut, assassinating Hezbollah’s top military commander.)

Despite all these troubles and growing fears that the conflict with Israel might flare up once again, Leo’s mood during his time in Lebanon was jubilant; many believed that the pope’s presence would deter any attack.

In fact, celebrations began as soon as he arrived on Sunday, with church bells ringing across the country to celebrate his arrival from Türkiye. During the three days of the visit, at every stop in the pope’s busy schedule, neither heavy rain nor scorching sun prevented people from lining the streets and howling, showering the papal motorcade with rose petals, rice and even doves.

And in a country where religion often meddles with politics to devastating effect (as in the 15-year Lebanese civil war), the papal visit did not just attract Christians;about one third 100 percent of the country’s population – but there are also members of other faiths. Even Hezbollah got in on the act, with a band from the group’s youth wing playing as the pope passed through Hezbollah-dominated neighborhoods of the capital.

“Of course, we are all celebrating here. This is the pope coming to Lebanon. You can’t miss it,” said George Abinader, a 20-year-old college student who attended the shore mass with his mother, Najat Abinader. “All sects. This is the real Lebanon.”

Like many who attended the meeting, Najat Abinader believed that the pope would be a strong advocate for Lebanon internationally, but he also wanted his words to be effective domestically.

“We are all at peace today. This may change tomorrow, but our hope is that politicians here take this message seriously,” he said.

Children wearing cardinal regalia, Pope Benedict XIV. It is gathering at De La Croix Hospital in suburban Beirut ahead of Leo’s visit on December 2, 2025.

(Andreas Solaro / AFP/Getty Images)

Although Leo is known as a more subdued pontiff than his predecessor, Pope Francis, the 70-year-old Chicago native appeared excited by the moment. He visited religious shrines, attended holiday gatherings and multi-religious dialogue by Christian and interfaith leaders, giving speeches in English and French and occasionally using Arabic phrases to confirm chants.

His last day in Lebanon began with a visit to De La Croix Hospital, a facility that specializes in treating patients with psychological problems. He then went to the port, met with some of the families of the 218 people who died in the explosion in 2020, and kept a silent vigil among the remains.

As the Papamobile moved from the harbor to the shore, people jostled against metal barricades to get a better vantage point for smartphone videos.

By the time he took the stage, the event had taken on the feel of a rock concert; people were waving Lebanese and Vatican flags to the music of a nearby orchestra.

As in his other speeches, Leo did not hesitate to discuss the troubles that befell Lebanon. Its “beauty” was “overshadowed by poverty and suffering,” he said, along with “a fragile and often unstable political context, a dramatic economic crisis that weighs heavily on you, and violence and conflict that reawaken ancient fears.”

People carrying Vatican and Lebanese flags gathered at De La Croix Hospital in anticipation of the pope’s visit to the facility.

(Andreas Solaro / AFP/Getty Images)

“Let us throw off the armor of our ethnic and political divisions, open our religious confessions to mutual encounter, and reawaken in our hearts the dream of a united Lebanon. A Lebanon where peace and justice reign, where everyone knows each other as brothers,” he said.

He added that the Middle East “needs new approaches to reject the mentality of revenge and violence” and that “the path of mutual hostility and destruction in the horror of war has been traveled for too long.” He has not spoken about the creation of a Palestinian state, but in recent months has supported a two-state solution that Israel opposes.

Philippe Zarzour, a 59-year-old self-described real estate expert who listened to the sermon, said the large crowd proved the importance of the pope’s message.

“This is a referendum. We are a nation that wants peace. Enough war,” he said.

Still, Zarzour was realistic about what the pope could do.

“Can it change anything?” he asked. “He helps people see the way. What about the opposite? What is he, Jesus Christ?”

Leo also sent a message to Christians in the Levant, who have seen their presence drop for decades to about 5% of the Middle East’s population.

“As the results of your efforts for peace slowly begin to come, I invite you to lift your gaze to the coming Lord,” he said.

“Christians of the East, citizens of this land in every respect, I repeat: Take courage! The whole church looks at you with love and admiration.”

In his final speech on the tarmac before his flight, he expressed regret at not being able to visit the south of the country, where he said “there is currently a situation of conflict and uncertainty.”

“Let the attacks and hostilities end,” he said. “We must accept that armed struggle brings no benefit. Even though weapons are lethal, negotiation, mediation and dialogue are constructive.”

Moments after his plane took off, the familiar buzz of Israeli drones, which were absent during the pope’s visit, was once again heard in the capital.