Participants at the Catholic Media Center press conference on Nov. 11, 2025, discussing the interfaith meeting with Pope Leo XIV. (Photo: NNA)
The Catholic Information Center (CCI) held a press conference Tuesday to provide more details about the upcoming interfaith meeting organized during Pope Leo XIV's visit to Lebanon, scheduled for Dec. 1. The event will bring together about 300 Christian and Muslim leaders from across the country under the banner of "hope" and dialogue between communities.
Speaking at the conference, CCI president Abdo Abou Kasm recalled the importance of the papal visit, the third by a pontiff to Lebanon in 27 years, as "unique in its coexistence between Christians and Muslims," following the visits by John Paul II in 1997 and Benedict XVI in 2013.
"The advantage of Lebanon is its unity, in all its facets and through all its people. Even though there have been wars in the past, we remain committed to love, peace, and hope," added Kasm.
Bishop Matthias Charles Murad, president of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Lebanon and coordinator of the meeting, emphasized that the pope "is coming to a land that God has destined to be a meeting point between East and West, between religions and cultures, to affirm through it that Lebanon, despite all the hardships it faces, still carries in its heart the message of living together."
In this context, the Dec. 1 gathering in Martyrs' Square "is not simply a symbolic event, but an act of faith in dialogue and a declaration of hope: kindness can overcome fear, and sincere encounters can build true peace." "Faith does not divide the children of God, but unites them around the common good," he insisted, while acknowledging "obstacles" such as rising extremism. "This visit aims to bring a message of hope to a people exhausted by crises, and to invite religious and political leaders to renew their commitment to serve humanity above all," he said.
Micheline Abi Samra, representing the company Solidere, explained that Martyrs' Square was chosen for the meeting as it has become a "beacon of dialogue," always having "brought together Lebanese from all faiths," with its uniquely close proximity between the Mohammad al-Amin Mosque and the Maronite St. George Cathedral.
Lea Adel Maamari, a member of the organizing committee, stated that a select 330 people will be in attendance at this event, including "leaders of all Christian denominations, major Muslim authorities, and figures involved in interfaith dialogue" in Lebanon.
