Pope Leo XIV begins Lebanon visit amid economic crisis, heightened security concerns

Pope Leo XIV arrived successful Lebanon connected Sunday, opening the 2nd fractional of his archetypal planetary travel arsenic pontiff aft 3 days successful Turkey marked by calls for unity, bid and renewed ties among Christian communities. 

His halt successful Lebanon places him successful a federation wherever Christians person long-faced war, instability and a question of emigration that has reshaped the country’s demographics.

Lebanon was erstwhile a Christian-majority country, a equilibrium reflected successful the 1932 census that recorded Christians arsenic conscionable implicit fractional the population. No authoritative number has been conducted since, but demographic studies and autarkic estimates amusement a important displacement implicit the past century. As Reuters reported, Christians are present "believed to marque up astir a 3rd of Lebanon’s population," a diminution driven by emigration, conflict, and changing commencement rates.

POPE LEO XIV OPENS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP IN TURKEY WITH A VISIT TO CHRISTIANITY’S EARLY HEARTLANDS

Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I be a signing ceremonial of a associated declaration astatine the Ecumenical Patriarchate, during Pope's archetypal apostolic journey, successful Istanbul, Turkey connected Nov. 29, 2025. (Dilara Senkaya/Reuters/Pool)

JP De Gance, laminitis and president of Communio, told Fox News Digital that the prime of Turkey and Lebanon arsenic the Pope’s archetypal destinations is intentional. "Pope Leo chose to marque Turkey and Lebanon the tract of his archetypal travel precise apt to stress 2 large themes of his pontificate. Coming retired of the conclave that elected him, helium has placed a large accent connected some unity and connected peace."

Lebanon marks the astir emotionally charged portion of the trip. The past papal sojourn came successful 2012. Pope Francis had hoped to question determination but was incapable to marque the travel due to the fact that of wellness concerns. Lebanon is often described arsenic having the highest proportionality of Christians successful the Middle East, yet these communities person been devastated by economical collapse, governmental paralysis and wide migration implicit the past decade.

Pope Leo XIV arrives connected chopper adjacent the archaeological excavations of the past Basilica of Saint Neophytos to instrumentality portion successful a supplication work with Bartholomew I, connected his 2nd time successful Turkey connected Nov. 28, 2025 successful Iznik, Turkey. Pope Leo XIV is making his archetypal overseas travel connected a six-day sojourn to Turkey and Lebanon. During his trip, the Pope is scheduled to conscionable with faithful from section Catholic communities, arsenic good arsenic governmental and spiritual leaders, drafting attraction to determination issues. (Photo by Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images) ((PhSimone Risoluti/Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

The Associated Press reported that the Pope’s docket includes meetings with governmental leaders, Christian and Muslim clerics and families affected by overlapping nationalist crises. A cardinal infinitesimal volition travel connected Dec. 2 erstwhile helium visits the Port of Beirut, the tract of the 2020 detonation that killed much than 200 radical and wounded thousands. His beingness determination is expected to gully important attraction successful a state wherever galore inactive request accountability for the blast.

Local media outlets study that ample crowds are expected contempt heavy infrastructure problems and ongoing information challenges.

The Pope arrives amid 1 of Lebanon’s astir volatile periods successful years, with repeated exchanges of occurrence on the confederate borderline passim 2024 and 2025 betwixt Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The clashes displaced residents and raised fears of a wider conflict, prompting questions astir whether the concern mightiness unit last-minute changes to the papal itinerary.

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A billboard depicting Pope Leo XIV, up of his planned sojourn to Lebanon, astatine the main airdrome roadworthy successful Beirut, Lebanon Nov. 21, 2025.  (Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni addressed those concerns successful comments to EWTN Vatican, confirming that the docket remains intact. "There is nary circumstantial interest related to the caller Israeli strike," Bruni said. He added that "the concern was already good known adjacent a fewer months ago, and each indispensable precautionary measures person been taken."

De Gance said the Lebanon limb underscores the Pope’s absorption connected Christians successful the astir susceptible regions. "In presumption of peace, I judge the pope has added Lebanon to this travel due to the fact that a large galore Christian communities — some those successful afloat communion with Rome and those who are Eastern Orthodox — are suffering successful a war-torn region."

He added that the travel besides aims to gully planetary attraction to communities often overlooked. "Leo apt wants to bring the bully pulpit of the papacy to the portion to bring a connection of bid that besides advocates for those often forgotten successful the West — our Eastern Christian brothers and sisters."

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Posters of Pope Leo XIV, on with Lebanese and Vatican flags, are placed on a roadworthy up of his planned sojourn to Lebanon, successful Hazmieh, Lebanon, connected Nov. 28, 2025. (Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)

The themes emerging successful Lebanon reflector those acceptable successful Turkey, wherever Pope Leo appealed for dialog amid determination tensions. His opening days arsenic pontiff emphasized reconciliation, solidarity and enactment for Christian communities navigating governmental and societal upheaval.

His sojourn to Turkey, wherever the Pope marked the 1700th day of the First Council of Nicaea successful İznik. At an ecumenical supplication work adjacent the archaeological remains associated with the council, helium gathered with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and different Christian leaders.

De Gance highlighted the value of the commemoration. "Pope Leo chose to commemorate the 1,700th day of the Council of Nicea, which has specified historical value due to the fact that this assembly helped specify the world — present inactive accepted by Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox — that Jesus Christ is genuinely God and genuinely man." He added, "At the clip of the council, a large galore Christians had begun to cull this cardinal apostolic truth. This archetypal assembly helped settee this contention and is rightly celebrated contiguous by those successful the East and the West arsenic creating greater unity wrong the full church."

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Pope Leo XIV attends a ceremonial marking the 1700th day of the First Council of Nicaea held successful the ruins of Basilica of Saint Neophytos, revealed successful 2014 aft h2o levels receded successful Lake Iznik and identified arsenic having been built successful grant of Saint Neophytos successful Bursa, Turkiye connected November 28, 2025. Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos (R) besides attended the event. (Photo by Baris Seckin/Anadolu via Getty Images) ((Photo Baris Seckin/Anadolu via Getty Images)

During the ceremonies, Pope Leo emphasized the shared Christian practice recovered successful the Nicene Creed, a foundational connection of religion recited crossed denominations.

For galore Lebanese Christians, his accomplishment offers a infinitesimal of designation from Rome and a root of anticipation during a play of heavy nationalist uncertainty.