Pope Urges Lebanese Christians to Seek Fraternity and Peace

Beirut, 2 December 2025 – Pope Leo XIV concluded his Mass at Beirut Waterfront on Tuesday morning with a strong appeal for peace in Lebanon and across the Middle East, encouraging Lebanese Christians to show courage amid instability and suffering.

Wrapping up his visit as a “pilgrim of hope,” the Pope prayed for peace for what he called “this beloved land, marked by instability, wars, and suffering.”

Addressing the faithful, he said: “Dear Christians of the Levant, when the results of your efforts for peace are slow in coming, I invite you to lift your gaze to the Lord who is coming. Let us look to Him with hope and courage, inviting everyone to embark on the path of coexistence, fraternity, and peace.”

The Pope encouraged Christians to become “artisans of peace, heralds of peace, witnesses of peace.”

He noted that the Middle East urgently needs new approaches to overcome divisions and the cycle of violence, and to pursue reconciliation. “The path of mutual hostility and destruction in the horror of war has been travelled too long, with the deplorable results that are before everyone’s eyes,” he said. “We need to change course; we need to educate our hearts for peace.”

Pope Leo XIV then prayed for the Middle East and for all who continue to suffer because of war. Extending his appeal further, he offered prayers for a peaceful resolution to the political disputes in Guinea-Bissau. “Nor do I forget the victims, and their dear families, of the fire in Hong Kong,” he added.

The Pope prayed especially for Lebanon, calling on political leaders and the international community to spare no effort in promoting dialogue and reconciliation in all places torn apart by war and violence.

In his concluding message, he urged Christians in the region to remain courageous in the face of hardship. “Finally, to you, Christians of the Levant, citizens of these lands in every respect, I repeat: have courage!” he said. “The whole Church looks to you with affection and admiration. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Harissa, protect you always.”

Courtesy: Vatican News

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