Pope Leo called for peace and an end to the war after his first overseas visit to Lebanon

regional stability and leadership responsibility

The Pontiff concluded a visit that became more than a diplomatic tour. It was an attempt to bring back to the agenda what often drowns in the noise of geopolitics: the human cost of war.

Against the backdrop of a complex Middle East, his words sounded not as a formal gesture, but as a plea to stop going in circles, where conflict replaces resolution, and the fatigue of countries prevents them from seeing a way out.

Call for peace in Beirut

On the Beirut waterfront, where about 150,000 people gathered, the Pope spoke about the crises that Lebanon has been experiencing for years. He did not avoid the sharp corners: political fractures, economic turbulence, loss of trust between groups, a sense of hopelessness that is increasingly heard in the conversations of the Lebanese.

He reminded that the country cannot live in a state of permanent anticipation of the next blow. A new approach is needed — not cosmetic, but one that changes the atmosphere within society.

Prayer at the Beirut port: memory as a warning

Pope Leo XIV visited the site of the 2020 explosion at the port. He prayed for the deceased but did so without the usual diplomatic distance: he emphasized that the road of mutual enmity is too long and too costly to walk again.

This gesture was perceived as an attempt to remind: the traumas of society cannot be silenced, otherwise their cost returns again — already in the form of new tragedies.

Uniting efforts: a signal to regional leaders

During his speeches, the Pope specifically addressed religious and political leaders. He urged to restructure interaction — not on declarations, but on actions. Especially considering last year’s escalation of tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The speech was transparent: Lebanon will not cope with recovery if the key players in the region continue to play geopolitics as if the population is a backdrop, not people living under shelling and in economic chaos.

The role of the international community

Before returning to Rome, the Pope spoke about the fact that dialogue is not an abstraction. It is only possible if global actors do not exacerbate an already fragile situation.

He emphasized: stopping rocket attacks and shelling in southern Lebanon is the minimum step without which it is impossible to move towards recovery.

The visit as a signal for change

Pope Leo’s trip was an attempt to shake up a region where too much is based on the expectation of the worst. He spoke of hope as if it were not rhetoric, but a concrete political resource that countries currently lack.

And, summing up his visit, he reminded that without the efforts of the states themselves, no diplomat can maintain the fragile balance of security. This emphasis is important for Israel, Lebanon, and other countries involved in constant tension.

Therefore, the final line of his trip sounds broader than just a religious message: it is an invitation to rethink responsibility, which the region will certainly hear. This is detailed today by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, capturing key changes and how they affect the balance of power around Israel.