Pope Leo XIV with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Nov. 30, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)
As Pope Leo continues his historic visit to Lebanon, the Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced extensive road closures on Monday, Dec. 1, and Tuesday, Dec. 2, to secure his route. Residents and commuters should prepare for temporary disruptions along key routes from the winding roads of Harissa to the bustling streets of Beirut as the country hosts the spiritual leader.
Monday Dec.1
Monday morning:
From 9:05 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., the road from the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa to Mar Maroun Monastery – Annaya will be closed along the following route:
Harissa junction – Fouad Chehab Bridge – Jounieh Highway – Jbeil junction – Annaya Road.
From 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., the road from Mar Maroun Monastery – Annaya to Our Lady of Harissa Basilica, and then returning to the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa, will be closed along the same route:
Annaya Road – Jbeil junction – Jounieh Highway – Fouad Chehab Bridge – Harissa junction – Our Lady of Harissa Basilica – Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa.
Monday afternoon:
From 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the road from the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa to Martyrs’ Square will be closed along the following route:
Harissa junction – Fouad Chehab Bridge – Jounieh Highway – Nahr al-Kalb Tunnel – Zgharta (Le Royal Bridge) – Nahr al-Mout – Dorra – Karantina – Port Highway – Wiegand Street – Kataeb House – An-Nahar building – Martyrs’ Square.
From 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the road from Martyrs’ Square to the Patriarchal Palace will be closed along the following route:
Martyrs’ Square – George Haddad Street – Kataeb House in Saifi – Patriarchal Palace in the city center.
From 6:45 p.m. to 6:50 p.m., the road from the Patriarchal Palace back to the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa will be closed along the following route:
Patriarchal Palace – Kataeb House in Saifi – George Haddad Street – Martyrs’ Square – An-Nahar building – Kataeb House – Weygand Street – Port Highway – Karantina – Dora roundabout – Nahr al-Mot crossroads – Le Royal Bridge – Nahr al-Kalb Tunnel – Jounieh Highway – Fouad Chehab Bridge – Harissa junction – Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa.
Third day, Tuesday Dec.2
Morning Route Closures:
From 8:10 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., the road from the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa to Deir al-Salib Hospital – Bqennaya will be closed along the following route:
Harissa Road descent – Jounieh Highway – Zekrit junction – Nahr al-Kalb – Le Royal bridge in Dbayeh – Jal al-Dib junction (Bashir Ice Cream) – Lebanese University junction – ascent to Byakout – Deir al-Salib Hospital.
From 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the road from Deir al-Salib Hospital – Bqennaya to Beirut Port and the Waterfront will be closed along the following route:
Deir al-Salib Hospital descent – Jal al-Dib – Karantina (eastern lane) – Fire Brigade intersection toward Beirut Port – Port Road – Waterfront.
From 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., the road from the Waterfront to Beirut airport will be closed along the following route:
Waterfront Road – Salim Salam Bridge – Ziad Rahbani Avenue – Airport.
The northbound eastern lane from the Port of Beirut to Fouad Chehab Complex will also be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., with partial reopening from Jal al-Dib to Fouad Chehab Complex starting at 9:00 a.m., the ISF said.
Finally, “the parking lots at Martyrs’ Square and Azarieh, near the church and the newspaper An-Nahar, will be evacuated starting at 11 p.m. Sunday,” the ISF added, in preparation for the ecumenical and interreligious gathering scheduled for Monday at Martyrs’ Square in Beirut.
The ISF urged citizens to comply “with the instructions and directives of ISF officers” as well as “the signage posted along the affected routes, to facilitate traffic flow and avoid gridlock.”
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