Pope Leo XIV arrived in Beirut on Sunday afternoon, landing at Rafic Hariri International Airport after a visit to Turkey. He was received by President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, and a wide range of political and religious figures.
The Pope begins the first leg of his Lebanon tour with a meeting at Baabda Palace with President Aoun, followed by separate talks with Berri, Salam, and representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps.
Crowds gathered along the roads leading from Beirut to Baabda to greet the pontiff, including on the airport road where the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mahdi Scout groups organised a welcome.
Hezbollah said the reception had reflected its role in the national moment and its "warm welcome" for the Pope.
The three-day visit, the fourth by a pontiff to Lebanon, comes at a sensitive time as Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory continue, along with warnings of possible military escalation if authorities do not move to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year.
Lebanese media have also speculated that Israel may intensify its attacks after the Pope's departure.
Many in Lebanon hope the visit will bring a measure of calm after years of crisis, including the the financial collapse of 2019, the Beirut port explosion, the pandemic, and the most recent war with Israel.
They are also watching for messages the Pope may direct to the international community on the need to halt conflicts, restore stability, and recognise Lebanon's historic role, echoing Pope John Paul II’s famous phrase that "Lebanon is more than a country, Lebanon is a message."
Lebanese authorities have rolled out extensive security and logistical measures, declaring a public holiday and coordinating traffic routes for the Pope's movements. Lebanese and Vatican flags line the streets along his itinerary.
Second and third day programme
On Monday, the Pope will visit the St Maron Monastery in Annaya to pray at the tomb of Saint Charbel, then head to Martyrs Square and take part in an ecumenical gathering. He will later travel to the Harissa basilica, the largest Marian shrine in the Middle East, and meet bishops.
On Tuesday, he will visit the Deir al-Salib centre in Baqennaya to meet staff and patients, then head to Beirut port to pray for the victims of the 4 August 2020 explosion.
He will celebrate a large public Mass on Beirut's waterfront, where more than 120,000 people are expected.
A farewell ceremony at the airport will follow before he departs for Rome.
A wider meaning for Lebanon
Father Khalil Alwan, head of the Harissa shrine, told The New Arab that the visit had carried weight beyond a standard pastoral trip.
He said internal and regional challenges, from the post-Abraham Accords landscape to Lebanon's loss of sovereignty and deep economic crisis, have eroded hope among young people and driven unprecedented levels of emigration.
He noted that the Pope's presence, amplified by more than 1,300 journalists, would shine a light on Lebanon's devastation, the ongoing violations of its sovereignty, and the enormous losses inflicted on its people, including the victims of the port blast.
He added that the Pope's entourage, including cardinals involved in global social and diplomatic issues, may also help push influential states to rethink their approach to Lebanon, which remains stuck without solutions.
Alwan said the visit had a symbolic dimension as well. In Turkey, Pope Leo marked 1700 years since the Nicene Creed was written and met the Ecumenical Patriarch.
In Lebanon, he will meet the country's patriarchs, described as his equals in church tradition.
"Lebanon is a homeland of freedom. Without freedom, Lebanon cannot be Lebanon," he said.
Asked whether Lebanon had received guarantees against an Israeli escalation during the visit, Alwan said the Republican Guard and security agencies had put in place exceptional measures, while "we rely on the guarantees that come from God".
He added that the Pope is expected to address the situation in the south and express support for Lebanese sovereignty.
Hezbollah’s message to the Pope
On Saturday, Hezbollah sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV highlighting the suffering in Gaza over the past two years, as well as the hardship faced by Lebanese living under ongoing Israeli occupation of parts of their land and continued attacks.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to coexistence, consensual democracy, internal stability, national sovereignty, and the right to resist foreign intervention.
It said it rejects any attempt by external powers to impose guardianship over Lebanon or undermine its constitutional institutions.