Pope Leo XIV prayed for peace in Lebanon and the region on Monday (1st) as he began the second day of his trip to the country with a visit to the famous pilgrimage site.
Thousands of people cheered and threw rice as the pope drove his papal car along a winding road leading to a monastery in Annaya, in the mountains north of Beirut, which houses the tomb of Saint Charbel.
Liao arrived from Türkiye on Sunday (30) on his inaugural visit abroad as Pope, carrying a message of hope, especially for Lebanese youth, whose confidence in their crisis-stricken country has waned.
He said from inside the stone monastery lit with candles, “We ask for peace for the world. We ask for it in particular for Lebanon and the entire Levant.”
Saint Charbel is a Maronite hermit, canonized in 1977, and has great popularity outside the Christian community.
Images of the white-bearded saint can be found in homes, vehicles, and workplaces across the country.
Music blared and bells rang in the place as thousands gathered amid tight security measures.
Beautician Jihan Dakkash said in front of the monastery: “Saint Charbel is like a father to me, and he is the greatest saint in my life.”
She told Agence France-Presse, “The Pope’s visit today is historic to a land that always yearns for peace. He carries for me and all the Lebanese a message of hope and faith” despite all the difficulties.
Thousands of people braved the rain and lined the streets of northern Beirut since the early morning to give the Pope a warm welcome as his motorcade passed, and some waved the flags of Lebanon or the Vatican.
Housewife Therese Darouni (61 years old) said, “Everyone goes to Rome to see the Pope, but he came to us. This is the greatest blessing and the greatest blessing and hope for Lebanon. I hope that people will come together for the good of Lebanon and its people.”
Lebanon has been suffering from a six-year economic collapse widely blamed on official corruption and mismanagement, and many also fear a new war between Israel and Hezbollah, despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities.
Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon in recent weeks despite the truce, while the cash-strapped Lebanese government is under intense pressure from the United States to disarm Iranian-backed militants.
Yasmine Chidiac, hoping to meet the religious man, said: “We are very happy with the Pope’s visit. His visit brought a smile to our faces.” He added: “We always have hope and faith in peace, and we hope that Lebanon will remain a beacon and a meeting point for the world.”
Leo 14 is expected to address bishops and clergy at a shrine in Harissa, also north of Beirut, where a huge statue of Our Lady of Lebanon overlooks the Mediterranean air from atop a steep hill.
The Pope will also hold an interfaith event in Martyrs’ Square in central Beirut, with the participation of figures from the 18 officially recognized religious denominations in Lebanon.
Then he meets with young people at the Patriarchate of the Lebanese Maronite Church in Bkerke, on the outskirts of the capital.
The authorities declared Monday and Tuesday official holidays, and intensified security measures, including closing roads and banning all types of photography with drones.
Liao called on Lebanon’s leaders to put themselves “with commitment and dedication to the service” of the people and urged reconciliation in a country whose divisions since the 1975-1990 civil war have not been fully healed.
“Peace is knowing how to live together, in company, as reconciled people,” he added, also noting “the exodus of young people and families in search of a future elsewhere.”
In Türkiye, the pope has taken a cautious approach, balancing political sensitivities while also encouraging unity and respect for religious diversity.