The Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai. Archived photo Ani
Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai called on Lebanese political leaders to "reconcile" just hours before Pope Leo XIV's first tour of the Middle East.
"I call on political leaders to reconcile and turn the page, because the pope's visit to Lebanon is not an ordinary event," the head of the Maronite Church told MTV. He said the visit "addresses Lebanon and the Lebanese, highlights the value and role of the country, and underscores that Lebanon holds a special place for the pope and the Holy See." He added that if the pope's visit did not bring about a true revival, it would have no value. "It is not acceptable for Leo XIV to come to Lebanon only for the country to return to what it was before he left," he said.
"The Lebanese are a people who do not want to die, and they face every trial; proof of this is that even during the last war, the airport did not close," he added, as Lebanon grapples with an ongoing crisis since 2019 and reels from the aftermath of the Hezbollah-Israel war, which ended with a fragile cease-fire a little over a year ago.
Leo XIV is scheduled to land in Beirut shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday, beginning his visit with meetings with President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
