Pope Leo Without mentioning it explicitly, but without leaving room for doubt, the Pope alluded to Israel and Hezbollah in an “urgent appeal”: “That the attacks and hostilities stop. And that we do not believe that armed combat brings some benefits. Weapons kill; negotiations, mediation and constructive dialogue. Let us abolish peace as a path, and on land as a goal!”
The pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia entered into a conflict with Israel “in solidarity” with the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, until a high-caliber fire was agreed upon a year ago. However, the Israeli army is still constantly bombing southern and eastern Lebanon, under the pretext that Hezbollah has not disarmed, as the truce agreement predicted. Although he also hoped that Israel would have withdrawn from the Lebanese Suelo, and this also came true. Caught in the middle of the conflict, the Beirut government is trying to disarm Hezbollah and is asking Executive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give him the time and confidence to do so.
Before that, at the end of the Mass he celebrated in the port of Beirut, the Pope also spoke about the situation in the region: “The Near East needs new approaches, to reject the mentality of revenge and violence, to overcome political, social and religious divisions, and to open new pages in the name of reconciliation and peace. Hostility, mutual destruction and terror, with unfortunate results, are clear to everyone. We need to change direction. We need to educate our hearts for peace.”
The Pope called on the international community to ensure that “no efforts are made to promote dialogue and reconciliation processes.” And also to the political and social leaders in every country: “Listen to the cry of their villages demanding peace!”
These days, weapons are being fired in Lebanon. On the eve of the Pope’s arrival, Israel announced that it was amending its protocols for the visit, a way to decide to stop its military interventions. The most recent was New Day, a missile attack in the same Beirut, which led to the death of five of them number Hezbollah. For its part, the militia published a message welcoming Leon
Robert Prevost, who during these six days of travel was extremely cautious and only explicitly referred to the political circumstances, called for peace in his farewell speech at the Beirut airport. Scheduled to arrive in Rome shortly after 4pm. However, an important conclusion has just fallen, namely the planned journalistic route on the return trip by the means approved for the papal trip, between them El Contre.
On his last day in Beirut, the Pope visited the La Croix Hospital, de las Franciscana, in Jal and Dib, 20 kilometers from the city. The center was established in 1919, and it is one of the largest health centers for the mentally disabled in the Near East, with a capacity of one thousand beds. Leon XIV quickly moved to the port where the horrific chemical explosion occurred that destroyed the city in 2020. It caused 218 deaths and more than 7,000 inheritances. It was so large that it caused a magnitude 3.3 seismic storm.
I pray at the site of the port explosion
It was a national tragedy and the Pope was detained praying in the middle of the explosion in a very emotional moment for the Lebanese. Above all, because five years after its success, investigations have become ambiguous and responsibilities have not been established, which generates massive popular discontent and discredit among the political class. Only last April, Judge Tariq Bitar was able to appeal the case, after numerous interventions from politicians and officials. The accident was caused by a shipment of highly explosive chemicals that had been left on board the Moyle for 10 years, despite repeated warnings of their danger.
In the silent scene, at the foot of the collapsed central silo where the chemical shipment was located, and among the mountains of structures surrounding the area, 60 relatives of the victims were present, along with pictures of the deceased. He also helped Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who lost his mother in the explosion. More than 300,000 homes were destroyed around the port.
A group of those affected presented a gift to the Pope bearing the names of all the people who died in the accident. A year ago, during my visit to the Vatican, I was like Francis, who had never been able to visit Lebanon. I had planned to do it this year, but the project was halted due to his death last April.
Leon
The Pope’s last act in Beirut was a massive Mass, in the country with the largest Christian community in the Near East, 32% of the population. According to the authorities, 150,000 people were helped. The ceremony was held on a large area of the port, which was covered by a sea of rubble and materials from the rubble that were removed from the city center at the end of the civil war that devastated the country between 1975 and 1990.
In his sermon, Leon XIV called on the Lebanese to “join our efforts until this land regains its splendor.” He said: “There is only one way to do this: let us disarm our hearts, let us drop the shield of our ethnic and political walls, let us open our religious communities to mutual encounter, and let us awaken to the deepest depths of being sueño of a united Lebanon, where peace and justice will triumph, and where all can be reunited among brothers and sisters.”
The Pope bid farewell to this ambiguity with a call that summarizes the message of hope that dominated his visit to the country: “Oh Lebanon, rise up! Here is the homeland of justice and brotherhood! This is a prophecy of peace for the entire East!”