Pope Leo XIV offered a silent prayer early on Tuesday at the site of the Beirut port explosion, a scene of devastation that has come to symbolize one of the darkest moments in Lebanon’s history.
Some 2,750 tons of military-grade ammonium nitrate combusted at the port in 2020, killing hundreds, injuring thousands and costing billions of dollars in devastation. The Pope also met with families of those killed in the explosion, many of whom are still waiting for officials to be held accountable.
After his silent prayer, the pope proceeded to lead a Mass at the Beirut waterfront, where the Mediterranean stretches before the city and mountains rise behind it. Thousands of people — families with children, elderly people making their way slowly and groups of friends — began arriving there at dawn, many of them on foot because the roads leading to the seaside area had been closed.
The Mass served as the culmination of his first international trip as pontiff, capping a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon, the nation with the highest proportion of Christians in the Middle East. Throughout the trip, Pope Leo spoke about peace, urged support for young people and promoted interfaith dialogue. His appeals resonated deeply in a country — and region — grappling with profound political, social and economic troubles.
Many Lebanese said his presence offered a rare moment of unity and reassurance in their fractured and war-scarred nation, where a fragile truce with Israel holds even as Israeli strikes continue and fears of renewed war persist.
“From the minute he got off the plane, I felt deeply that the savior is here,” said Joelle Korom, 42, who was walking by the explosion site with her three children. “With this visit, we hope that peace will prevail, that we will all be united and that there will be better days ahead.”
The pope arrived in a Lebanon very different from the one that greeted the last papal visit in 2012.
An economic collapse that began in 2019 and was worsened by pandemic lockdowns gutted the currency, shuttered businesses and wiped out savings. Public fury over corruption followed, leading to massive antigovernment protests. Then came the 2020 port explosion, which killed hundreds and gutted landmark buildings. Now, a jagged slab of broken concrete still rises over the site, a stark remnant of the blast.
Beginning in late 2023, a destructive war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah flattened markets and villages in the south, crippled infrastructure and displaced more than one million civilians, according to the Lebanese government. Hezbollah, a dominant political and military force backed by Iran, was severely weakened as its top leaders were assassinated and its ally in neighboring Syria, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted. Lebanon’s new president and prime minister, chosen in January, face the task of rebuilding and restoring basic services, even as Israeli strikes continue.
The pope arrived amid this turmoil, seeking to bring a message of hope and unity, and to reaffirm the Vatican’s support for the Lebanese people.
For three partly rainy days, he was greeted with ululations, whistles and chants of his name. Across Beirut and neighboring towns, spectators waved Lebanese and Vatican flags, and gathered beneath billboards bearing his image alongside the message, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” He spoke in English, French and a bit of Arabic, and listened to messages from young people, political leaders and religious figures representing Lebanon’s diverse groups.
“This visit is important because the Vatican historically has been one of the leading protectors of Lebanese national unity,” said Karim Émile Bitar, a professor of international relations at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut, who was also attending the Mass. “This visit is symbolic because it takes place at a time when the existential angst of most Lebanese is at an all-time high.”
The pope’s visit drew criticism from some Lebanese, who questioned how roads could be rapidly repaved and security swiftly tightened for his arrival, when similar efforts are rarely made for ordinary citizens.
“We have been suffering and demanding this for years,” said Miguel Wakim, 32, a trader in Beirut. “But unfortunately, we have grown used to this from our government.”
On social media, some grimly joked and posted memes about how tensions with Israel could flare once Leo leaves — even as others hoped his visit might bring about longer-term improvements.
“The world has forgotten us,” said Paula Chedid, 45, who was attending the Mass with her husband, son and his friend. “But hopefully this trip can bring peace and change.”
Dayana Iwaza and Motoko Rich contributed reporting.
Abdi Latif Dahir is the East Africa correspondent for The Times, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He covers a broad range of issues including geopolitics, business, society and arts.
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