“Peace! Peace!” That is the cry one hears everywhere Pope Leo goes on his second day in Lebanon, and it is the theme that he emphasizes strongly in all his talks in this war-threatened land. The Lebanese, Christians and Muslims alike, are overjoyed that he has come; they showed this by turning out in their thousands everywhere he went yesterday and today, waving Vatican and Lebanese flags.
Their great thirst and desire for peace was evident from the moment he stepped off the plane and drove from the airport to the presidential palace yesterday. En route, not only Christians but also Muslims—including supporters of Hezbollah—turned out in their thousands to welcome him.
This same cry for peace resounded loudly at the youth rally this evening from the more than 14,000 young people—mostly Lebanese, at the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Maronites, at Bkerké, the headquarters of the Maronite Catholic Church—but also many young people from Maronite communities in the Holy Land, Jordan, Syria and other Arab countries.
The state authorities too shared in this welcome by declaring his days here—Monday and Tuesday—as national holidays. Furthermore, they had images of Pope Leo with the words “Blessed are the peacemakers” written in Arabic, French and English placed on billboards and posters on the streets and on the bridges across Beirut, the capital city where almost half the population live. I saw them also in the villages and towns in the mountainous areas north of Beirut as Pope Leo travelled to pray at the two most revered holy sites in this land: the tomb of St. Charbel at the monastery of St. Maroun at Annaya and the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon at Harissa.
Pope Leo travelled early this morning to the 18th-century monastery in the mountainous region 25 miles north of Beirut, and as he passed through many villages, thousands of Lebanese turned out to greet him and receive his blessing, huddled under umbrellas because of the heavy rain.
The tomb of St. Charbel
A very large crowd had gathered outside the St. Maroun monastery. Among them was Elias (who like many others didn’t give his family name), waving a large American flag. He told me he was a Lebanese-American living in Boston, and had come with his two children Miriam, 11, and Charbel, 7, to witness this historic moment. He emphasized that he had come with his family to welcome the pope convinced that “he will bring peace to Lebanon” and to receive his blessing. Also in the crowd was Yara, a 21-year-old woman university student studying business administration who said she came because “he has come to bless us and bless our country, and bring peace. We want peace.”
A Maronite priest at the monastery, Abouna Toni Eid, told me four popes have come to Lebanon, but Leo is the first to come to pray at the tomb of St. Charbel, who is known throughout the world for miracles. “Pope Leo has come to pray at the tomb of the saint, to pray for peace,” he said
“St. Charbel has brought Lebanon to all the world, and now the Holy Father brings all the world to the tomb of the saint. He’s come to pray for the miracle of peace,” Monsignor Ando Abou Kasm, the head of the Catholic Media Center of Lebanon, told me.
Just before the pope arrived at the monastery under torrential rain, Charles El Hage, the Minister for Telecommunications in Lebanon, told America: “The story of St. Charbel is very much the story of Lebanon, a small country with a big message. Having the pope in Lebanon during this time gives hope to the Lebanese people in general, and for the Christians it makes them think twice before leaving this land to others, that peace will be advanced and we can live together, several communities in unity.”
Pope Leo prayed at the tomb of the saint for peace in Lebanon and said in his homily, delivered in French, “For the world, we ask for peace. We especially implore it for Lebanon and for the entire Levant. But we know well—and the saints remind us—that there is no peace without conversion of hearts. May Saint Charbel, therefore, help us to turn to God and ask for the gift of conversion for all of us.”
Our Lady Of Lebanon
From the monastery, Pope Leo was driven to the national shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon overlooking the Bay of Junieh, where John Paul II and Benedict XVI had come before him. There he heard deeply moving, inspiring testimonies of what in his talk he called “the communion of charity.” A priest and nun recounted how they stayed with their flock in the Baalkbek even as the bombs kept dropping. A Filipino worker spoke about how she had come as a migrant 16 years ago, and has learned to help others—she works with the Jesuit Refugee Service. Another priest told of his work with prisoners.
Pope Leo listened attentively, at times showing emotion, and referred to their testimonies. He began speaking in French with “Bonjours!” but then quickly added the Arabic greeting—“Ṣabāḥ al-khayr”—drawing a joyful, prolonged applause.
He recalled that one of the symbols featured in the logo of his visit is the anchor, noting: “Pope Francis often referred to the anchor as a sign of faith that permits us to always move forward, even in the darkest moments, until we reach heaven. He said: “Our faith is an anchor in heaven. We have anchored our life in heaven. What must we do? Hold fast to the rope…. And we go forward because we are certain that our life is anchored in heaven, on the shore where we will arrive.’”
Pope Leo told the Catholic leaders and pastoral workers, “If we wish to build peace we must anchor ourselves to heaven and, firmly set in that direction, let us love without being afraid of losing those things which pass away and let us give without measure. From these roots, strong and deep like those of cedars, love grows and with God’s help, concrete and lasting works of solidarity come to life.”
He recalled the testimony of Father Youhanna, who spoke about Debbabiyé, the small village where he carries out his ministry, and recalled how “there, even when faced with extreme need and threatened by bombardment, Christians and Muslims, Lebanese and refugees from other lands, live together peacefully and help their neighbors.” The pope said, “Let us pause for a moment to consider the image he has evoked: the Syrian coin found in the alms box alongside the ones from Lebanon. It is an important point. It reminds us that each one of us has something to give and to receive in love, and that the gift of ourselves to our neighbor enriches everyone and draws us to God.”
When he finished speaking, they warmly applauded as he went and placed a golden rose at the very tall statue of Our Lady of Lebanon that stands next to the church and overlooks the Bay of Jounieh.
He then went back for lunch at the nunciatures, which is very close to the basilica at Harissa, and later in the afternoon, after the rain ended, he participated in an inter-religious meeting in the Square of the Martyrs.
A youth rally
Afterwards, he set out for the Maronite Patriarchate, on a hill overlooking the Bay of Jounieh, to join a youth rally. His arrival there, in a popemobile, sparked scenes of flag waving and high emotion. The crowd gave him a tremendous welcome, accompanied by the singing of “Jesus Christ you are my life!”
He looked so happy at what he saw. He had already experienced the wild enthusiasm of young people at the Jubilee for Youth at Rome, but this was something on an even higher note, for there was much more at stake: peace in Lebanon.
Many young, and even older people, told me they fear that war could come, that Israel could attack [Hezbollah] again once the pope leaves. Jorjia Mokbel, a young university student said, “They will not attack now because he is an American pope, but after he leaves they will go back to war,” she said, though she hopes his presence may prevent that.
“It is a blessing that the pope is here. I hope the political leaders listen to what he says, and work together,” she added. “Right now they are fighting two wars, one within the country, and the other with Israel.” Her friend Margse, a senior high school student, seemed to share that concern: “I hope he blesses the country and helps people realise that it is a beautiful land with a rich religious history, and that he convinces them to work together, not to be against each other.”
André-Noel, who studies at the university but also works, welcomed the pope’s visit “because he is the leader of the Catholic world, and I hope he can give us peace, especially for the Christians of this land because we feel somewhat oppressed by others, by politicians who tell us what to do.” He added, “We see what has happened to Christians in Syria, Iraq, Jordan and other places. Today, we are the only Christian people in this region who can say what they think,” and suggested that maybe the Christians would vote for self-rule if they could. But he and others felt the situation has improved somewhat under the new president.
The Augustinian pope likes singing and music, and the young people treated him to a creative performance of music, song, dance and personal testimonies. When this festive event ended, Pope Leo took over, speaking forcefully, with passion and energy, and in English.
Referring to the testimonies, he said “these stories speak of courage in the midst of suffering, hope in the face of disappointment, and inner peace during times of war. They are like shining stars in the night sky, offering us a glimpse of the first rays of dawn.”
“Lebanon’s history is interwoven with glorious moments,” he said, “but it is also marked by deep wounds that are slow to heal. These wounds have causes that transcend national borders and are intertwined with very complex social and political dynamics.”
Addressing them directly, he said, “Dear young people, perhaps you regret inheriting a world torn apart by wars and disfigured by social injustice. Yet there is hope within you, a gift that we adults seem to have lost. You have time! You have more time to dream, to plan and to do good. You are the present, and the future is already taking shape in your hands! You have the enthusiasm to change the course of history! The true opposition to evil is not evil, but love, a love capable of healing one’s own wounds while also caring for the wounds of others.”
He encouraged them to “draw from the good roots of those dedicated to serving society without using it for their own interests” and “with a generous commitment to justice, plan together for a future of peace and development. Be the source of hope that the country is waiting for!”
He told them, “Peace is not authentic if it is the product of partisan interests. It is only genuinely sincere when I do to others what I would like them to do to me” (Mt 7:12). He recalled that St. John Paul II once said that there is “no peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness” and added, “This is indeed true: forgiveness leads to justice, which is the foundation of peace.”
He entrusted to them the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. He reminded them that “The Lord will always be with you” and added, “you can be assured of the support of the whole Church in the decisive challenges in your lives and in the history of your beloved country.”
He concluded by going off script and asking: “Are you willing to be peacemakers in a world of suffering?” Their shouted response, left him in no doubt. They then started chanting, “Papa Leone, Papa Leone.”
Tomorrow, he concludes his visit by praying in silence at the site of the explosion in the port of Beirut five years ago, and then celebrates Mass on the waterfront before taking the plane back to Rome, where he is again likely to return to the theme of peacemaking. Indeed, throughout his stay here, the American-born missionary pope has stayed on his central message: Blessed are the peacemakers.
Politics
Faith
Culture
Vatican
Scripture
Podcasts