BEIRUT: Pope Leo XIV sets foot on Lebanese soil on Sunday in a visit that Lebanese officials describe as “historic in terms of timing and content.” It comes amid fears of a new bloody phase, as the year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to unravel.
The Pope’s carefully selected three-day itinerary is packed with meetings, including with the president, parliamentarians and ministers, as well as visits to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya and the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa.
In addition, he will offer a silent prayer at the site of the Aug. 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion with survivors and victims’ families, where he is expected to call for justice nearly five years after the blast devastated the surrounding city.
He will also visit the Sisters of the Cross Hospital in the Jal El-Dib area, hold a meeting with young people, and preside over a large mass at the Beirut waterfront, to be attended by leaders from various Christian and Muslim communities.
The visit of Pope Leo XIV is widely seen as a message of peace and hope as the war-weary country fears renewed escalation. (AFP)
