The rain did not prevent thousands of people from taking to the streets to welcome Pope Leo XIV in Lebanese territory. Even in the southern area of Beirut, which is dominated by Hezbollah and a Shiite majority, residents waited for hours at the airport gate. … sidewalk to greet him. Some have noted that the Vatican has prepared Pope’s car with armored windows. It was also pouring rain when I entered the presidential complex and musicians and dancers in traditional costumes surrounded the car and threw rice and flower petals at it.
The Pope wanted his first trip to include a stage in the hornet’s nest in the Near East, where peoples and religions seem trapped at a crossroads of conflicts of decades and centuries and economic and institutional crises. He was able to see the buildings in Beirut still visible Wounds from the civil war that has been going on for fifteen years Which ended in 1990 and incited Christian and Muslim factions fueled by foreign interests. These days mark one year since the theoretical ceasefire with Israel, which invaded the south of the country in 2024 to disarm the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia.
Lebanon is the only country in the Near East where Christians constitute a relevant numerical group, and as with other countries in the region, here too religion determines political choices. to Maintaining sectarian balance Which put an end to the civil war, and in 1989, with the Taif Agreement, it was proven that the president was a Christian. The Prime Minister (with executive authority), a Sunni Muslim; The Speaker of Parliament (the legislative branch) is a Shiite Muslim. Furthermore, Christians and Muslims should have the same number of seats in Parliament, although this does not reflect the true weight of the religions. Distribution ensures balance, not cooperation, because each group’s priority is not to lose its shares of power.
The country is going through a serious institutional crisis after the May 2022 elections It took three years to form the government And the appointment of a new president, who is still unable to confront the economic crisis that the country is suffering from, as 80% of the population lives below the poverty line and is exposed to frequent power outages.
His first speech in this land was one of the rare occasions when political leaders agreed, as all factions appreciated him and saw the trip as an opportunity for the country. At the presidential palace, Leo XIV asked them to “put the goal of peace before everything else” because Lebanon “needs authorities and institutions that place the common good above the partial good.” A Hezbollah delegate and Christian and Sunni leaders listened to him. «Peace is much more than balancealways fraught with danger, between those who live separately under the same roof. Peace is knowing how to live together, in communion, as reconciled people, working together, side by side, for a common future.
Lebanon needs unity
He also told them that peace consists of the “healing of memory” between “the different spirits of the homeland or between nations” that continue to fuel paralyzing conflicts. “If we do not work towards rapprochement between those who have suffered injustices and grievances, it will be difficult to move towards peace; every human being remains a prisoner of his own pain and its causes.” He encouraged them to immediately start working because “sometimes it is believed that before taking any step, it is necessary to clarify everything and resolve everything, but mutual dialogue, even in cases of misunderstanding, is the path that leads to reconciliation.” “This peace will change the way you look at each other.”
Leo »There are times when it is easier to escape Or it is simply more convenient to go elsewhere. “It takes a lot of courage and farsightedness to stay or return to our country, considering even very difficult circumstances worthy of love and dedication.”
The Vatican is not only concerned about the brain drain from this land, but also that Christians constitute a moderating factor in the midst of extremism in the region, and their disappearance will benefit extremism. “Uncertainty, violence, poverty and many other threats produce bleeding young people and families who seek a future elsewhere, despite the great pain of leaving their homeland,” but “it is still commendable to remain at home and cooperate day by day to develop a civilization of love and peace.” He concluded by saying: “That no one is forced to leave and that whoever wishes can return safely,” and “especially since young people do not feel forced to leave their land and emigrate.” They listened to him in silence and applauded him. Time will tell if the message gets through.
According to 2020 data compiled by the CIA World Factbook, of the 5,365,000 people living in Lebanon, not including between 750,000 and 1,500,000 Syrian refugees, About 68% of them are Muslims (31.9% Sunni and 31.2% Shiite).along with other sects such as Alawites and Ismailis), and 32.4% are Christians (the majority of whom are Maronite Catholics). A Druze minority lives in the country, about 4.5%, as well as some Jews, Baha’is, Buddhists, and Hindus. In total, there are 18 different groups of believers, and at the moment each of them respects the others’ space.
“The Pope visits Lebanon, not just Catholics.”Maronite priest Antonio Al-Duwaihy explains to ABC. “This is a very important visit, it is a visit for all Lebanese, even though we Catholics are naturally happy. “But it’s a visit to the whole country,” he says. He was not surprised by the Pope’s request to political and business leaders to put the country’s interest above their personal interests. He stressed that “all corruption is a betrayal of the country’s mission to be a model of coexistence in the Middle East, even in difficult times.”