Pope Leo XIV, before his entrance to the Baabda Presidential Palace, on Nov. 30, 2025. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Overall restrained and focused on a message of "peace" repeated throughout the three days, Pope Leo XIV's speech still hinted at some of his views on the region. The first American pope in history did not mention Israel or specifically Christians outside Lebanon, but he did address Hezbollah upon returning to Rome, calling on the group to "disarm" and participate in "dialogue." These statements and omissions mark a slight departure from Pope Francis.His trip was highly anticipated because it was his first and was expected to provide insight into his style. His predecessor stood out with strong, courageous positions that largely represented what is often called the "Global South." Post pope visit Between Beirut and Tel Aviv, direct negotiations, for now, push away the specter of war The...
Overall restrained and focused on a message of "peace" repeated throughout the three days, Pope Leo XIV's speech still hinted at some of his views on the region. The first American pope in history did not mention Israel or specifically Christians outside Lebanon, but he did address Hezbollah upon returning to Rome, calling on the group to "disarm" and participate in "dialogue." These statements and omissions mark a slight departure from Pope Francis.His trip was highly anticipated because it was his first and was expected to provide insight into his style. His predecessor stood out with strong, courageous positions that largely represented what is often called the "Global South." Post pope visit Between Beirut and Tel Aviv, direct negotiations, for now, push away the specter of war The...
