Pope Leo XIV during a ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, on Oct. 26, 2025. (Credit: Yara Nardi/Reuters)
BEIRUT — Pope Leo XIV landed in Lebanon on Sunday afternoon, beginning a highly anticipated three-day visit to the country. His arrival follows a trip to Turkey.
Local authorities have rolled out extensive preparations across the capital, including road closures and heightened security measures, to ensure the safety of the pontiff and the crowds expected to greet him. The visit will run through Tuesday evening.
The program, published a month ago by the Lebanese presidency, is packed with meetings and symbolic stops. The pope is scheduled to pray in Annaya at the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf, a central spiritual figure for many Lebanese Christians, and hold a minute of silence at the Port of Beirut, still bearing the scars of the August 2020 explosions.
Here are the details of his visit:
Sunday, Nov. 30: Arrival and political meetings
3:45 p.m. – Arrival at Beirut’s airport, where an official welcoming ceremony will be held.
4:45 p.m. – Baabda Presidential Palace, where he will meet with President Joseph Aoun
5:15 p.m. – Also at Baabda Presidential Palace, where he’ll be received by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, followed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
6 p.m. – Meeting with representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps, where the pope will deliver his first speech of the visit.
Monday, Dec. 1, 2025: Saint Charbel, religious and ecumenical meetings
9:45 a.m. – Visit and prayer at the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf (1828–1898) at the Saint Maron Monastery in Annaya, above Jbeil.
11:20 a.m. – Meeting with religious figures at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, Kesrouan.
12:30 p.m. – Meeting with Catholic patriarchs at the Apostolic Nunciature.
4 p.m. – Ecumenical and interreligious gathering at Martyrs’ Square in Beirut.
5:45 p.m. – Meeting with youth on the Maronite Patriarchate headquarters' plaza in Bkirki (Kesrouan).
Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025: Beirut port, Mass and departure
8:30 a.m. – Visit to the medical staff and patients at the Psychiatric Hospital of the Sisters of the Cross in Jal al-Dib (Metn).
9:30 a.m. – Silent prayer at the site of the Aug. 4, 2020, explosions at the Beirut port.
10:30 a.m. – Grand Mass on the Beirut waterfront.
12:45 p.m. – Farewell ceremony at Beirut's airport before his 1:15 p.m. departure.
At the end of October, the Grand Serail announced that government offices, public institutions and municipalities will be closed on Monday, Dec. 1, and Tuesday, Dec. 2 — both declared public holidays.
“On the occasion of the official visit of the sovereign pontiff to Lebanon, and to allow all sectors to take part in welcoming him, all public administrations, institutions, municipalities, universities, and public and private schools will be closed on these two days,” the statement read.
