The pope took part in an ecumenical and interreligious meeting in Martyrs’ Square in Beirut. (Credit: Téa Ziadé/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Outside, as the sun cleared the sky on Monday after a rainy morning, Lebanese families gathered at Martyrs' Square in Beirut, hoping to see the papal convoy arrive. Along the sidewalks, Lebanese and Vatican flags were being sold, while some passersby tried to haggle with the vendors.
Mira Khoury, who traveled from the U.S. to visit her family, explained that she planned her trip to coincide with the visit. "It reminds us that peace must first exist among the Lebanese themselves. Christians and Muslims live side by side abroad: Why not in Lebanon?" she wondered.
"It’s a national visit, not just a religious one," insisted Aya Bou Hamdan, a member of the Druze community. "He is a man of peace, and we are in dire need of it."
Then, suddenly, the convoy appeared, accompanied by two army helicopters. The crowd erupted. Once it passed, people slowly dispersed. "I can’t believe I saw this man, a real angel," an emotional Dany Haroun said.
Under a tent specially erected for the occasion, Pope Leo XIV sat in the middle of a circular stage, encircled by 16 Christian and Muslim religious leaders, including Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, symbolizing a united front.
On the second day of his visit to Lebanon, the pontiff participated in an ecumenical and interreligious gathering. Several symbols were invoked: the olive tree to symbolize peace; childhood, through the choir, to represent hope.
"Usually, people go to visit the pope, but right now, he is coming to us. That shows how much he values our wounds and our society," Father Joseph Bou Raad told L'Orient-Le Jour from the front row. "I am so happy that, through his mere presence, he manages to unite all the faiths. He encourages us to talk about peace and to seek justice together."
Calm before the storm
After the opening hymn, the Syriac Catholic Patriarch delivered a welcome speech. This was followed by Gospel readings, verses from the Quran and a documentary screening about coexistence in Lebanon.
In a spirit of simplicity, representatives of different faiths took turns speaking into the microphone. They repeated those familiar, arguably overused terms like "coexistence," living together," "diversity," and "hope."
As Lebanon tries to recover from its recent war with Israel and the threat of new tensions looms, the papal visit — especially in a country so politically divided and weighed down by years of economic hardship — offered some solace.
But some feared it was just a brief calm before a fierce storm.
"Welcome to this land where the cross of Christ has taken root. Welcome to Lebanon, this unique country that breathes through both its Christian and Muslim environments," said the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, John X Yazigi, in his speech.
"It is with great joy that we welcome Pope Leo XIV, during his visit to Lebanon, a country of coexistence and confessional diversity, a wealth and enrichment for humanity, where citizenship is the very foundation of equality in rights and duties, without any discrimination," declared Grand Mufti of Lebanon Abdul Latif Derian.
"We all hope your visit will help strengthen the wavering national unity of this country, wounded by ongoing Israeli aggression," said the vice president of the Higher Shiite Islamic Council, Sheikh Ali al-Khatib.
He added: "We are not lovers of arms and we place Lebanon's cause in your hands, hoping that the world will help our country to get back on its feet."
The pontiff, for his part, fulfilled his role by delivering a speech centered on peace and hope.
"For many years, and especially lately, the eyes of the world are fixed on the Middle East, cradle of the Abrahamic religions, observing the painstaking journey and the endless quest for the precious gift that is peace," he said.
"Faced with such complex and persistent conflicts, humanity sometimes looks at the Middle East with apprehension and discouragement. Yet, in the midst of these struggles, we can feel hope and encouragement when we focus on what unites us: our common humanity and our belief in a God of love and mercy."
He planted an olive tree in the center of the tent.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
