Post by : Meena Ariff

Pope Leo, the first US-born pontiff, arrived in Lebanon on Sunday after a four-day visit to Turkey, warning that humanity’s future is under threat from the world’s rising number of bloody conflicts and condemning violence carried out in the name of religion.

Crowds waving Lebanese and Vatican flags lined the roads from the airport to the presidential palace, eager to catch a glimpse of the pope. During his visit, Leo is scheduled to meet Lebanon’s president and prime minister and deliver an address—only his second to a foreign government.

Lebanon, home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East, has been shaken by the spillover of the Gaza conflict. Ongoing clashes between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah have escalated regional tensions, compounded by the country’s economic struggles and the presence of over a million Syrian and Palestinian refugees.

Israeli authorities say recent strikes aim to prevent Hezbollah from regaining military strength, while Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem expressed hope that Pope Leo’s visit could help halt Israeli attacks. The papal trip has also received broad support from Lebanon’s diverse communities, including Druze cleric Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, who described the visit as “a glimmer of hope” for the country.

Security was tightened ahead of Leo’s arrival, with Lebanese army and internal security forces deployed at the airport. His convoy will pass through Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area heavily influenced by Hezbollah and previously targeted in last year’s strikes, where the group’s Imam Mehdi Scouts will hold a roadside welcoming ceremony.

During his first overseas engagements, Pope Leo has already visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, demonstrating respect by removing his shoes, and attended an Orthodox Christian liturgy led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The patriarch urged Christians to deliver “a unified message of hope” and condemned global violence, including ongoing conflicts in Ukraine.

In Lebanon, the 70-year-old pope will visit five cities and towns from Sunday to Tuesday, avoiding areas in the south affected by Israeli strikes. His itinerary includes a prayer at the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, an outdoor Mass along the waterfront, and a visit to one of the country’s few psychiatric hospitals, where staff and patients are eagerly anticipating his arrival.

#World News #Pope Leo