The second stop of Pope Leo XIV on the third and final day of his historic visit to Lebanon was profoundly emotional and deeply human. He headed in the morning to the site of the explosion at the Port of Beirut, where he stood in silent prayer in honor of the martyrs of August 4, before later presiding over the Holy Mass on the capital’s waterfront and delivering a special homily for the occasion.

Upon his arrival at the port, the Holy Father was received by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and a number of officials. The Pope proceeded toward the memorial wall bearing the names of 245 martyrs and victims, where he offered a silent prayer that lasted several minutes, during which complete silence enveloped the place.

Afterward, the Pope greeted the families of the victims, listened at length to their testimonies and pain, and presented symbolic gifts to the children who attended with their families.