Pope Leo XIV Concludes His Visit to Lebanon with a Mass on Beirut’s Waterfront: “Let Us Awaken the Dream of a United Lebanon Where Peace and Justice Prevail”
December 02, 2025 · 13:10
President Aoun and First Lady Attend Papal Mass in Beirut
President Joseph Aoun and the First Lady, Mrs. Nehmat Aoun, participated in the Holy Mass presided over by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the Beirut waterfront, which concluded his historic three-day visit to Lebanon. The Mass was attended by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and his wife, Mrs. Randa, as well as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and his wife, Mrs. Sahar Baassiri.
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, former President Michel Sleiman and his wife, Mrs. Wafaa, Ms. Joyce and Solange Gemayel, Ms. Mona Al-Hraoui, Apostolic Nuncio Paolo Borgia, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri, current and former ministers and parliamentarians, official, political, spiritual, and military figures, members of the diplomatic corps, several party leaders, the accompanying delegation of the Holy See, Catholic patriarchs in Lebanon, and religious, political, social, and judicial dignitaries, as well as senior state officials were also present at the Mass .
Around 150,000 faithful believers gathered from early morning from various regions of Lebanon and neighboring countries to offer prayers for peace and stability.
The Pope’s Homily
During the Mass, the Sovereign Pontiff delivered a homily:
"Dear brothers and sisters, at the close of these intense days we have shared in joy, we celebrate and thank God for His goodness and abundant gifts, for His presence among us, for His abundant word, and for all that He has given us to be together. Jesus, as we heard in the Gospel, also thanked the Father, addressing Him thus: ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth’ (Luke 21:10).
In reality, gratitude does not always find its place in us. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the fatigue of life, preoccupied and anxious about the problems surrounding us, paralyzed by our inability to confront evil. Many difficult situations weigh on us, inclining us toward resignation and complaint, forgetting the wonder of the heart and the gratitude owed to God.
I therefore call upon you, beloved people of Lebanon, to cultivate a sense of gratitude. You, who have received from God a rare beauty adorning your land, yet are witnesses to and victims of the forces of evil that mar this beauty. From this vast place overlooking the sea, I can also behold the beauty of Lebanon, celebrated in Scripture. God planted the majestic cedar, nourished it, and adorned it like a bride, exhaling the fragrance of this land (cf. Psalm 104:16; Song of Songs 4:11). In Jerusalem, the holy city illuminated by Christ’s coming, it is said: ‘The glory of Lebanon comes to you: the cypress, the oak, and the bush together to embellish the holy place, sanctifying the ground of my feet’ (Isaiah 60:13).
Yet, this beauty is marked by poverty and suffering, by historical wounds. I recently prayed at the site of the port explosion, and it is also shadowed by numerous challenges you face: a fragile and often unstable political context, an overwhelming economic crisis, and violence and conflicts that revive old fears.
In a context like, gratitude can easily turn into disappointment and finds no place in a burdened heart, and the source of hope dries up amid doubt and confusion. But the Word of God invites us to perceive the small lights shining in the dark night, to open our hearts to gratitude, and to encourage engagement for this land.
We heard Jesus thank the Father, not for extraordinary acts, but because He revealed His wisdom to the small and humble, who seek no attention and seem insignificant or voiceless. The kingdom of God announced by Jesus has this characteristic, mentioned by the prophet Isaiah: it is a small branch growing from a stump (cf. Isaiah 11:1), a small hope promising rebirth when all seems dead. Thus, Christ came. This small branch can only be recognized by the small, those able to perceive God’s subtle works in a story that seems lost.
This also invites us to see, with our eyes, the small branch growing amid a painful history. The small lights shining in the night, the buds emerging, and the seeds planted in this arid historical time can be seen by us here today. I think of your simple and authentic faith, rooted in your families and nurtured by your Christian schools. I think of the hard work of parishes, monasteries, and apostolic movements in meeting people’s needs. I think of the many priests and religious who dedicate themselves to their mission despite difficulties. I think of the laity engaged in service of love and the Gospel in society.
For these lights striving to illuminate darkness and for these unseen buds opening the door to hope for the future, we must today, like Jesus, say: ‘We praise You, Father!’ and thank God for His presence that prevents us from falling.
At the same time, this gratitude should not remain mere inner consolation, but lead to a change of heart, conversion, and renewal in life. We must understand that God wants our lives to be illuminated by faith, the promise of hope, and the joy of love. We are all called to cultivate these buds, not to be discouraged, not to yield to the logic of violence or the idolatry of money, and not to succumb to the evil spreading around us. Everyone must fulfill their role, and together we must unite our efforts to restore the splendor of this land. There is only one path: remove the weapons from our hearts, break down barriers of ethnic and political confinement, open our religious affiliations to mutual encounters, and awaken in us the dream of a united Lebanon where peace and justice triumph, and where each can recognize their brother and sister, fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah described: ‘The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and lion shall graze together’ (Isaiah 11:6).
This is the dream entrusted to you, and what the God of peace places in your hands: O Lebanon, rise! Be the house of justice and fraternity! Be the prophecy of peace for the entire Levant!
Dear brothers and sisters, I also want to repeat the words of Jesus: ‘I praise You, Father.’ I thank God for spending these days with you, carrying in my heart your pains and hopes. I pray that faith in Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice and Goodness, may illuminate this land of the Levant, and preserve, by His power, hope that never sets.
Patriarch Raï’s Address
Before the end of the Mass, Patriarch Raï delivered a speech:
"Most Holy Father,
At the conclusion of this Eucharistic celebration, marked by the intensity of faith and the warmth of the bonds that unite us, I am deeply honored, on behalf of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, as well as all the religious families of our country, duly represented here, to express our heartfelt gratitude and the spiritual joy inspired by your paternal presence among us. Your visit illuminates our minds and rekindles our determination to work for peace, fraternity, and dialogue among all the sons and daughters of our beloved land.
Most Holy Father, your words, nourished by the Holy Spirit, have resonated in our souls as a call to remain faithful witnesses of Christ, bearers of light, justice, hope, and peace. You strongly remind us that our mission, in these difficult times, is to build bridges, foster unity, and serve the common good of our nation and the region.
We thank you for your care and concern for our faithful believers, your encouragement of youth and families, and your consoling presence for those who bear the weight of suffering and trial. Your message of fraternity and communion between Christians and Muslims, and on a broader scale, among all the components of Lebanese society, is a beacon that illuminates our path out of trials and guides our hearts toward renewed life.
Most Holy Father, we once again express our unwavering filial devotion to you, along with our assurance of fervent prayer for your apostolic ministry and for the universal Church. May the Lord guide your steps as a Peacemaker, and may the Holy Virgin, Our Lady of Lebanon, surround you with her maternal tenderness and watch over you in your high mission as Pontiff of universal fraternity and lasting peace.
Thank you, Most Holy Father, for who you are, for your blessing, your love, and your paternal closeness."
Pope’s Call
His Holiness gave another speech, calling for:
"Dear brothers and sisters,
During my first apostolic visit in this jubilee year, I wished to be a pilgrim of hope in the Middle East, and to implore God for the gift of peace for this beloved land, marked by instability, wars, and suffering.
Christians of the East, if the fruits of your efforts for peace are delayed, I invite you to look to the Lord Jesus Christ who is coming! Let us look to Him with hope and courage, inviting everyone to walk the path of shared life, fraternity, and peace. Be builders, announcers, and witnesses of peace!
The Middle East needs new approaches, rejecting the logic of vengeance and violence, overcoming political, social, and religious divisions, and opening new pages in the name of reconciliation and peace. We have long followed the path of mutual hostility and destruction, fearing wars, and today we witness painful results. We must change course and educate our hearts for peace.
From this place, I pray for everyone suffering from war. I also pray for peaceful solutions to current political disputes in Guinea-Bissau and for the victims of the fire in Hong Kong and their families.
I pray especially for beloved Lebanon! I renew my call to the international community to spare no effort in supporting dialogue and reconciliation. From the depths of my heart, I appeal to all entrusted with political and social responsibility, here and in all countries exhausted by war and violence: hear the cry of your peoples demanding peace! Let us serve life, the common good, and the integral development of the human person.
Finally, Christians of the East, original inhabitants of these lands, take courage! The whole Church looks at you with affection and admiration. May Our Lady, the vigilant Virgin, always protect you."
The Eucharistic Chalice
At the end of Patriarch Raï’s address, the Pope received a Eucharistic chalice as a gift.
Patriarch Absi’s Address
Before the Mass, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of the Greek Catholics, Youssef Absi, delivered a welcoming speech:
"Your Holiness, Pope Leon, today these numerous crowds from Lebanon and abroad have gathered to see you, listen to you, pray with you, and draw from you strength, hope, joy, and comfort.
These crowds came from Lebanon, known as the country of peace, to greet you, as you offered the world after your election with the announcement: ‘Peace be with you all.’ They came to say: ‘And with your spirit,’ and ‘Welcome,’ extending branches and acclaiming, as the crowds did on Palm Sunday: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’"
He added:
"These faithful you greet and pray with here are members of the Eastern Churches dear to your heart, whom you have visited first and to whom you have expressed your deep esteem and desire to support and protect, as they are a treasure for the universal Church. From Rome to Constantinople to Antioch, this journey of faith reflects your will, Your Holiness, to act while expressing our desire to be united so that the world may believe.
Christ said to Peter: ‘You are the rock, and on this rock I will build my Church.’ Here is now his successor in Rome, presiding in love, come to ‘strengthen his brothers’ in Lebanon and a confused and lost East. Our invitation today is to pray with you and hear from you words of firmness in faith, hope, and love.
Your presence at this critical moment carries a profound message of hope, witnessing the closeness of the Apostolic See to the Lebanese people in particular and the peoples of the region in general. We hope you will continue, Holy Father, your constant efforts, accompanied by prayer, following in the footsteps of your predecessors, so that the God of peace grants us peace and that our children remain steadfast on their land and in their mission, becoming beacons of coexistence and witnesses to the world that humanity is one, and that friendship, neighborliness, and citizenship are stronger and more enduring than division.
Your visit to Lebanon is not only a continuation of your predecessors’ footsteps but carries a high message for those you meet, especially the consecrated and youth. Through your visits to the Shrine of Saint Charbel, the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, and to displaced and injured persons nearby, you showed us your priorities: prayer and care for the exhausted. We leave this place and this divine liturgy, which shapes our unity, with hearts filled with joy and peace, which no one can take away, as these are the promises of the Lord.
Holy Father, while thanking God for giving us a chief shepherd like you, we implore your apostolic blessing on our behalf, for all those with you, and on behalf of many others who see and hear you from afar. We greet you saying: ‘The peace of Christ,’ ‘Christ is among us,’ ‘Welcome.’"
At the Airport
After the Mass, the Pope prayed before the icon of the Virgin and greeted the faithful, who waved Lebanese and Vatican flags and chanted, “Viva il Papa.”
He personally greeted several faithful believers, security forces, and motorcade escorts, offering them souvenir gifts. He then proceeded to Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, concluding his historic visit to Lebanon.
Beirut Port
Before reaching the waterfront, His Holiness observed a moment of prayer for the victims of the August 4, 2020, Beirut port explosion and for the healing of grieving hearts, in the presence of President Salam and several officials. In an emotional moment, he met with the families of the martyrs, offered them comfort, and expressed his deep compassion, listening to their grief and loss.
President Joseph Aoun and the First Lady, Mrs. Nehmat Aoun, participated in the Holy Mass presided over by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the Beirut waterfront, which concluded his historic three-day visit to Lebanon. The Mass was attended by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and his wife, Mrs. Randa, as well as Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and his wife, Mrs. Sahar Baassiri.
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, former President Michel Sleiman and his wife, Mrs. Wafaa, Ms. Joyce and Solange Gemayel, Ms. Mona Al-Hraoui, Apostolic Nuncio Paolo Borgia, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri, current and former ministers and parliamentarians, official, political, spiritual, and military figures, members of the diplomatic corps, several party leaders, the accompanying delegation of the Holy See, Catholic patriarchs in Lebanon, and religious, political, social, and judicial dignitaries, as well as senior state officials were also present at the Mass .
Around 150,000 faithful believers gathered from early morning from various regions of Lebanon and neighboring countries to offer prayers for peace and stability.
The Pope’s Homily
During the Mass, the Sovereign Pontiff delivered a homily:
"Dear brothers and sisters, at the close of these intense days we have shared in joy, we celebrate and thank God for His goodness and abundant gifts, for His presence among us, for His abundant word, and for all that He has given us to be together. Jesus, as we heard in the Gospel, also thanked the Father, addressing Him thus: ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth’ (Luke 21:10).
In reality, gratitude does not always find its place in us. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the fatigue of life, preoccupied and anxious about the problems surrounding us, paralyzed by our inability to confront evil. Many difficult situations weigh on us, inclining us toward resignation and complaint, forgetting the wonder of the heart and the gratitude owed to God.
I therefore call upon you, beloved people of Lebanon, to cultivate a sense of gratitude. You, who have received from God a rare beauty adorning your land, yet are witnesses to and victims of the forces of evil that mar this beauty. From this vast place overlooking the sea, I can also behold the beauty of Lebanon, celebrated in Scripture. God planted the majestic cedar, nourished it, and adorned it like a bride, exhaling the fragrance of this land (cf. Psalm 104:16; Song of Songs 4:11). In Jerusalem, the holy city illuminated by Christ’s coming, it is said: ‘The glory of Lebanon comes to you: the cypress, the oak, and the bush together to embellish the holy place, sanctifying the ground of my feet’ (Isaiah 60:13).
Yet, this beauty is marked by poverty and suffering, by historical wounds. I recently prayed at the site of the port explosion, and it is also shadowed by numerous challenges you face: a fragile and often unstable political context, an overwhelming economic crisis, and violence and conflicts that revive old fears.
In a context like, gratitude can easily turn into disappointment and finds no place in a burdened heart, and the source of hope dries up amid doubt and confusion. But the Word of God invites us to perceive the small lights shining in the dark night, to open our hearts to gratitude, and to encourage engagement for this land.
We heard Jesus thank the Father, not for extraordinary acts, but because He revealed His wisdom to the small and humble, who seek no attention and seem insignificant or voiceless. The kingdom of God announced by Jesus has this characteristic, mentioned by the prophet Isaiah: it is a small branch growing from a stump (cf. Isaiah 11:1), a small hope promising rebirth when all seems dead. Thus, Christ came. This small branch can only be recognized by the small, those able to perceive God’s subtle works in a story that seems lost.
This also invites us to see, with our eyes, the small branch growing amid a painful history. The small lights shining in the night, the buds emerging, and the seeds planted in this arid historical time can be seen by us here today. I think of your simple and authentic faith, rooted in your families and nurtured by your Christian schools. I think of the hard work of parishes, monasteries, and apostolic movements in meeting people’s needs. I think of the many priests and religious who dedicate themselves to their mission despite difficulties. I think of the laity engaged in service of love and the Gospel in society.
For these lights striving to illuminate darkness and for these unseen buds opening the door to hope for the future, we must today, like Jesus, say: ‘We praise You, Father!’ and thank God for His presence that prevents us from falling.
At the same time, this gratitude should not remain mere inner consolation, but lead to a change of heart, conversion, and renewal in life. We must understand that God wants our lives to be illuminated by faith, the promise of hope, and the joy of love. We are all called to cultivate these buds, not to be discouraged, not to yield to the logic of violence or the idolatry of money, and not to succumb to the evil spreading around us. Everyone must fulfill their role, and together we must unite our efforts to restore the splendor of this land. There is only one path: remove the weapons from our hearts, break down barriers of ethnic and political confinement, open our religious affiliations to mutual encounters, and awaken in us the dream of a united Lebanon where peace and justice triumph, and where each can recognize their brother and sister, fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah described: ‘The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and lion shall graze together’ (Isaiah 11:6).
This is the dream entrusted to you, and what the God of peace places in your hands: O Lebanon, rise! Be the house of justice and fraternity! Be the prophecy of peace for the entire Levant!
Dear brothers and sisters, I also want to repeat the words of Jesus: ‘I praise You, Father.’ I thank God for spending these days with you, carrying in my heart your pains and hopes. I pray that faith in Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice and Goodness, may illuminate this land of the Levant, and preserve, by His power, hope that never sets.
Patriarch Raï’s Address
Before the end of the Mass, Patriarch Raï delivered a speech:
"Most Holy Father,
At the conclusion of this Eucharistic celebration, marked by the intensity of faith and the warmth of the bonds that unite us, I am deeply honored, on behalf of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, as well as all the religious families of our country, duly represented here, to express our heartfelt gratitude and the spiritual joy inspired by your paternal presence among us. Your visit illuminates our minds and rekindles our determination to work for peace, fraternity, and dialogue among all the sons and daughters of our beloved land.
Most Holy Father, your words, nourished by the Holy Spirit, have resonated in our souls as a call to remain faithful witnesses of Christ, bearers of light, justice, hope, and peace. You strongly remind us that our mission, in these difficult times, is to build bridges, foster unity, and serve the common good of our nation and the region.
We thank you for your care and concern for our faithful believers, your encouragement of youth and families, and your consoling presence for those who bear the weight of suffering and trial. Your message of fraternity and communion between Christians and Muslims, and on a broader scale, among all the components of Lebanese society, is a beacon that illuminates our path out of trials and guides our hearts toward renewed life.
Most Holy Father, we once again express our unwavering filial devotion to you, along with our assurance of fervent prayer for your apostolic ministry and for the universal Church. May the Lord guide your steps as a Peacemaker, and may the Holy Virgin, Our Lady of Lebanon, surround you with her maternal tenderness and watch over you in your high mission as Pontiff of universal fraternity and lasting peace.
Thank you, Most Holy Father, for who you are, for your blessing, your love, and your paternal closeness."
Pope’s Call
His Holiness gave another speech, calling for:
"Dear brothers and sisters,
During my first apostolic visit in this jubilee year, I wished to be a pilgrim of hope in the Middle East, and to implore God for the gift of peace for this beloved land, marked by instability, wars, and suffering.
Christians of the East, if the fruits of your efforts for peace are delayed, I invite you to look to the Lord Jesus Christ who is coming! Let us look to Him with hope and courage, inviting everyone to walk the path of shared life, fraternity, and peace. Be builders, announcers, and witnesses of peace!
The Middle East needs new approaches, rejecting the logic of vengeance and violence, overcoming political, social, and religious divisions, and opening new pages in the name of reconciliation and peace. We have long followed the path of mutual hostility and destruction, fearing wars, and today we witness painful results. We must change course and educate our hearts for peace.
From this place, I pray for everyone suffering from war. I also pray for peaceful solutions to current political disputes in Guinea-Bissau and for the victims of the fire in Hong Kong and their families.
I pray especially for beloved Lebanon! I renew my call to the international community to spare no effort in supporting dialogue and reconciliation. From the depths of my heart, I appeal to all entrusted with political and social responsibility, here and in all countries exhausted by war and violence: hear the cry of your peoples demanding peace! Let us serve life, the common good, and the integral development of the human person.
Finally, Christians of the East, original inhabitants of these lands, take courage! The whole Church looks at you with affection and admiration. May Our Lady, the vigilant Virgin, always protect you."
The Eucharistic Chalice
At the end of Patriarch Raï’s address, the Pope received a Eucharistic chalice as a gift.
Patriarch Absi’s Address
Before the Mass, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East of the Greek Catholics, Youssef Absi, delivered a welcoming speech:
"Your Holiness, Pope Leon, today these numerous crowds from Lebanon and abroad have gathered to see you, listen to you, pray with you, and draw from you strength, hope, joy, and comfort.
These crowds came from Lebanon, known as the country of peace, to greet you, as you offered the world after your election with the announcement: ‘Peace be with you all.’ They came to say: ‘And with your spirit,’ and ‘Welcome,’ extending branches and acclaiming, as the crowds did on Palm Sunday: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’"
He added:
"These faithful you greet and pray with here are members of the Eastern Churches dear to your heart, whom you have visited first and to whom you have expressed your deep esteem and desire to support and protect, as they are a treasure for the universal Church. From Rome to Constantinople to Antioch, this journey of faith reflects your will, Your Holiness, to act while expressing our desire to be united so that the world may believe.
Christ said to Peter: ‘You are the rock, and on this rock I will build my Church.’ Here is now his successor in Rome, presiding in love, come to ‘strengthen his brothers’ in Lebanon and a confused and lost East. Our invitation today is to pray with you and hear from you words of firmness in faith, hope, and love.
Your presence at this critical moment carries a profound message of hope, witnessing the closeness of the Apostolic See to the Lebanese people in particular and the peoples of the region in general. We hope you will continue, Holy Father, your constant efforts, accompanied by prayer, following in the footsteps of your predecessors, so that the God of peace grants us peace and that our children remain steadfast on their land and in their mission, becoming beacons of coexistence and witnesses to the world that humanity is one, and that friendship, neighborliness, and citizenship are stronger and more enduring than division.
Your visit to Lebanon is not only a continuation of your predecessors’ footsteps but carries a high message for those you meet, especially the consecrated and youth. Through your visits to the Shrine of Saint Charbel, the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, and to displaced and injured persons nearby, you showed us your priorities: prayer and care for the exhausted. We leave this place and this divine liturgy, which shapes our unity, with hearts filled with joy and peace, which no one can take away, as these are the promises of the Lord.
Holy Father, while thanking God for giving us a chief shepherd like you, we implore your apostolic blessing on our behalf, for all those with you, and on behalf of many others who see and hear you from afar. We greet you saying: ‘The peace of Christ,’ ‘Christ is among us,’ ‘Welcome.’"
At the Airport
After the Mass, the Pope prayed before the icon of the Virgin and greeted the faithful, who waved Lebanese and Vatican flags and chanted, “Viva il Papa.”
He personally greeted several faithful believers, security forces, and motorcade escorts, offering them souvenir gifts. He then proceeded to Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, concluding his historic visit to Lebanon.
Beirut Port
Before reaching the waterfront, His Holiness observed a moment of prayer for the victims of the August 4, 2020, Beirut port explosion and for the healing of grieving hearts, in the presence of President Salam and several officials. In an emotional moment, he met with the families of the martyrs, offered them comfort, and expressed his deep compassion, listening to their grief and loss.