During his visit to Lebanon, the Pope appealed to the country’s political leaders, urging them to make peace a top priority.
Speaking in the presence of the president, prime minister and other political leaders, Levon XIV said Lebanon must continue its peace efforts despite the “extremely complex, conflictual and uncertain” situation in the region.
He warned that the future of humanity is at stake because of the extraordinary number of bloody conflicts in the world.
The archbishop of the Catholic Church called on the Lebanese not to leave their country, despite the years-long conflict and deep economic crisis in the region.
Meeting today with representatives of Beirut’s Catholic, Sunni, Shia and Druze communities, the pontiff urged them to “remain strong so that no one is forced to flee their country because of senseless and brutal conflicts.”
During this tour of the Middle East, the leader of the Catholic Church also visited Turkey and prayed in the Armenian Apostolic Church in Istanbul.
The Pope arrived in Lebanon from Turkey.