Pope says Middle East needs ‘new approaches’ to reject violence

BEIRUT – Pope Leo XIV said on Dec 2 that the Middle East needed new approaches to rejecting violence and overcoming divisions, while urging Christians in the region to “have courage”.

“The Middle East needs new approaches in order to reject the mindset of revenge and violence, to overcome political, social and religious divisions, and to open new chapters in the name of reconciliation and peace,” he said at the conclusion of a mass in Beirut attended by some 150,000 people.

“Christians of the Levant, citizens of these lands in every respect, I repeat, have courage. The whole Church looks to you with affection and admiration,” he said.

Pope Leo also made a fervent appeal to Lebanon’s diverse communities to unite to solve the crisis-hit country’s myriad problems.

The first American pontiff pleaded for all Lebanese to “cast off the armour of our ethnic and political divisions” and address years of conflict, political paralysis and economic misery.

“We must unite our efforts so that this land can return to its glory,” Pope Leo said.

It was the highlight of the Catholic leader’s visit to Lebanon’s capital.

The pontiff arrived from Turkey on Nov 30 on his inaugural visit abroad and brought a message of hope, particularly to young people in Lebanon, whose faith in their beleaguered country has dwindled.

His trip has been a welcome distraction in a nation still reeling from a war in 2024 between Israel and militant group Hezbollah, with many fearing renewed hostilities.

“We came with joy to participate in this heavenly celebration,” said Ms Samira Khoury, among those who arrived early for the mass, which more than 120,000 people had registered to attend.

“The Pope puts joy and peace in our hearts and strengthens our hope.”

Before the service, on the final day of his Lebanon trip, the Pope prayed at the site of a catastrophic port explosion on Aug 4, 2020, which killed more than 220 people, injured over 6,500 and devastated swathes of the capital.

At a monument to those killed, with shipping containers, piles of rubble and the facility’s devastated wheat visible nearby, the Pope lit a lamp after praying silently.

He then shook hands, blessed and spoke with survivors and relatives of victims, including children, many of whom were holding photos of their loved ones.

Ms Cecile Roukoz, a lawyer whose brother died in the explosion, said: “We are very grateful for this visit from the Pope...

“We know that he raises his voice for justice, and we need justice for our brothers and all the victims of this explosion.”

‘Can feel the peace’

Tens of thousands of people gathered before dawn for the mass on Beirut’s waterfront, some having travelled from abroad, including from neighbouring Syria, or from further afield like the United States.

“It’s a sign of hope for Lebanon. I can feel the peace already just by seeing the people and how happy they are and I can see hope in their eyes for the future of Lebanon,” said Mr Elias Fadel, 22.

“Hopefully there won’t be any war,” he added.

Migrant workers in Lebanon from countries such as the Philippines and Sri Lanka were also among the excited crowd.

Large swathes of the city centre were closed to traffic for the occasion and soldiers deployed on nearby roads.

“I hope that peace will reign in this beautiful country that unites all sects and religions,” Ms Sandra Naim, 37, said. “We thank the Pope for his visit, which sows peace and hope.”

Ms Beatrice Doumet, 26, said she felt proud to be Lebanese.

“We need this because it’s a time of change, with a lot of uncertainty,” she said.

‘Marginalised’

Pope Leo’s first stop on Dec 2 was at a psychiatric hospital run by nuns near Beirut, where he was greeted by hospital staff and patients to cheers, applause and a shower of rose petals.

An emotional Mother Superior Marie Makhlouf, head of the congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross, thanked the Pope for being “a father to the forgotten, the abandoned and the marginalised”.

Pope Leo paid tribute to the work of the hospital, saying that “what is lived in this place stands as a clear reminder to all”.

“We cannot forget those who are most fragile. We cannot conceive of a society that races ahead at full speed clinging to the false myths of well-being, while at the same time ignoring so many situations of poverty and vulnerability,” he said.

Nobody has been held to account for the Beirut port blast, one of the largest ever non-nuclear explosions.

The authorities have said the port blast was triggered by a fire in a warehouse where tonnes of ammonium nitrate were stored haphazardly for years after arriving by ship, despite repeated warnings to senior officials.

The investigation has yet to yield results, with political figures obstructing the judge’s work on the case.

On Dec 1, the pontiff called on Christian and Muslim religious leaders gathered for an inter-religious meeting to combat intolerance and violence.

He also got a rock-star welcome from some 15,000 youth in Bkerke, the seat of the Maronite church, urging them to “be the source of hope that the country is waiting for”. AFP