Standing in Martyrs’ Square on Monday, the spot that once marked the “green line” dividing Muslim west and Christian east Beirut during the 1975-90 civil war, Leo said Lebanon had shown that “fear, distrust and prejudice are not the last word”.
Recommended Stories
4 item listend of list
He said, “In an era when coexistence may seem like a distant dream, the people of Lebanon, embracing different religions, stand as a powerful reminder that … unity, reconciliation and peace are possible.”
Using the Arabic word for Muslim prayer, he said, “Each bell rings; each adhan, each call to prayer blends into a single, loud hymn.”
Martyrs’ Square – home to a memorial honoring those who died for Lebanon’s independence, and later the focal point of mass protests demanding political change – has long been a symbol of the country’s struggle to overcome sectarianism.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut, said the scene shows the contradiction between Lebanon’s strong politics and its image of inter-religious unity.
He said, “Religious leaders coming together under one tent make it seem like they are speaking with one voice, but the reality is this is a deeply divided country.”
‘Viva Il Papa’
Leo arrived in Lebanon on Sunday as part of his first trip abroad as pope, which also included a stop in Turkiye. He met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Arab world’s only Christian head of state, and addressed diplomats and officials at the presidential palace.
Earlier on Monday, the US pontiff visited the tomb of St Charbel, a Catholic saint revered throughout the region, before traveling to Harissa, a hilltop temple overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The crowd chanted “Viva il Papa” as he reached the foot of the giant statue of the Virgin Mary.
About 15,000 young Maronite Catholics later gathered outside the headquarters of the 70-year-old Pope to hear him speak.
He told them, “There is hope within you, a gift that we adults have lost.” “You have more time to dream, plan, and do good.”
Lebanon has one of the largest Christian communities in the Middle East, accounting for about 30 percent of the population, which includes Muslims as well as Shia and Sunni communities as well as Alawite and Druze minorities. Monday’s interfaith gathering was attended by representatives of all major sects, including leaders of communities facing violence in neighboring Syria.
Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, deputy head of the Supreme Shia Islamic Council, thanked the pope for coming, but warned that the country still suffered deep wounds “as a result of Israel’s continuous attacks,” local media reported.
Israeli tension looms over trip
As the Pope delivers a message of unity, the country is embroiled in a broader regional conflict. Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on October 8, 2023, and described the attacks as an act of solidarity after Israel launched a genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza the previous day.
Lebanese armed groups were severely weakened following Israel’s major advance into the country in September 2024.
Since the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah has responded to Israeli attacks only once. However, according to the United Nations, Israel has continued cross-border attacks, killing more than 300 people in Lebanon, including about 127 civilians.
Al Jazeera’s Khodar said Leo avoided commenting directly on the fighting, although he had previously called for talks.
He said, “Many people believe that the Pope’s presence is the only deterrent in the face of Israeli threats… and that with his departure, the shadow of war will change and may be a different reality.”
“There is great concern of renewed conflict and that Israel will escalate its attacks.”
Lebanon’s political paralysis and economic collapse have also had a huge impact on this visit. Decades of state mismanagement culminated in a financial meltdown in late 2019, plunging millions into poverty.
The country is also hosting approximately one million Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
On Tuesday, Leo will visit the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, before leading a mass on the city’s historic waterfront.
<a href