Pope Leo XIV, during the address preceding the Angelus prayer, in St. Peter's Square in Rome, on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Credit: Screenshot of the address broadcast by the French Catholic TV channel KTO)
BEIRUT — In his first traditional Sunday address following his three-day trip to Lebanon, Pope Leon XIV paid tribute to Lebanon, which "remains a mosaic of coexistence" among communities, and twice stated in general terms that "peace is possible."
"Lebanon remains a mosaic of coexistence, and I was comforted to hear so many testimonies to this effect," the Holy Father said in his address in Italian, according to footage broadcast and translated by the French Catholic channel KTO.
"I met people who proclaim the Gospel by welcoming displaced persons, visiting prisoners, and sharing peace with those in need," he recalled, referencing a meeting in Harissa with religious figures.
"I was comforted to see so many people in the street greeting me, I was moved by meeting with the relatives of the victims of the Beirut port explosion," the pontiff continued.
The pope specifically saluted the crowd that had gathered at the Saint Maron Monastery in Annaya on Monday, Dec. 1, the youth gathered in Bkirki, and, above all, the next day, the crowd estimated by organizers at nearly 150,000 people present at the grand mass on the Beirut waterfront.
Shortly before, the Pope had prayed at the Beirut port, in memory of the approximately 235 victims of the Aug. 4, 2020 double explosion. Leon XIV spoke with the families of the victims, some in tears.
'The Lebanese comforted me with their faith and enthusiasm'
"The Lebanese were waiting for a word and a consoling presence, but it was they who comforted me with their faith and enthusiasm. I thank all those who accompanied me with their prayers," the pope said Sunday.
He stressed: "Dear brothers and sisters, what has happened in recent days in Turkey and Lebanon teaches us that peace is possible and that Christians, in dialogue with men and women of other religions and cultures, can help build it. Let us not forget, peace is possible!"
After calling on Turkey — where he had traveled to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — to play a "stabilizing" role in a "highly conflictual" global context, Leon XIV repeatedly delivered his message of "peace" in Lebanon throughout his visit.
In this regard, he stood out for his cautious diplomacy in Lebanon, refraining from publicly naming Israel or specifically mentioning Christians in the region outside of Lebanon.
On Tuesday, aboard the plane returning him to Rome, he stated that "the political meetings took place away from the media and focused on easing internal and international conflicts."
