Pope Leo urges unity on day two of Lebanon visit

Pope Leo has urged “coexistence” in a region blighted by violence on the second day of his visit to Lebanon, gathering clerics from across the religious spectrum on both sides of a fractious line of separation.

Leo said Lebanon’s situation demonstrated that “fear, distrust, and prejudice do not have the final word” as demonstrated by standing in Martyrs’ Square on Monday, a site that once stood as the “green line” between Muslim west and Christian east Beirut during the civil war of 1975-1990.

The people of Lebanon, who practice various religions, serve as a powerful reminder that unity, reconciliation, and peace are possible, he said, in a time when coexistence can seem like a distant dream.

“May every bell toll, every adhan, every prayer call all come together into one soaring hymn,” he said while referring to the Muslim call to prayer in Arabic.

Martyrs’ Square, the site of a monument to the fallen for Lebanon’s independence, has long been a focal point for demonstrations calling for political change.

The location, according to Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, showed the contrast between the image of interfaith unity amid Lebanon’s vested interests, according to Zeina Khodr, who was based in Beirut.

Religious leaders gathered under one roof appear to be speaking with one voice, but she remarked, “This is a deeply divided country.

“Viva il Papa!”

Leo made a stop in Turkiye on Sunday as part of his first overseas trip as pope, which included a visit to Lebanon. At the presidential palace, he addressed diplomats and officials to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian leader in the Arab world.

Prior to heading to Harissa, a hillside shrine overlooking the Mediterranean, the US pontiff made a visit to the tomb of St. Charbel, a Catholic saint revered throughout the area. As he arrived beneath the massive statue of the Virgin Mary, crowds yelled “Viva il Papa.”

Later, about 15, 000 young people gathered outside the Maronite Catholic headquarters to hear the 70-year-old pontiff speak.

He told them, “There is hope in you, a gift that we adults seem to have lost.” You have more time to plan, accomplish goals, and dream big.

About 30% of the population lives in Lebanon, where one of the Middle East’s largest Christian communities is represented by Shia and Sunni communities as well as Alawite and Druze minorities. Leaders from communities that have experienced violence in neighboring Syria were among those who attended Monday’s interfaith gathering, which included representatives from all major sects.

The pope was thanked for his visit, but Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, the Supreme Shia Islamic Council’s deputy, warned that the nation still posed serious wounds as a result of Israel’s continued attacks, according to local media.

Over the next few days, an Israeli escalation is looming.

The nation is still mired in a larger regional conflict as the pope delivered his message of unity. On October 8, 2023, Israel was first attacked by rockets from Israel’s Gaza-based government, and the group claims that the attacks were part of an act of solidarity.

After Israel’s major uprising in the country in September 2024, the Lebanese armed group was later severely damaged.

Hezbollah has only ever responded to Israeli attacks since a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon in November 2024. However, Israel has continued its cross-border bombings in Lebanon, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people, including 127 civilians, according to the UN.

Leo, according to Al Jazeera’s Khodr, had previously called for dialogue, but he opted not to directly comment on the conflict.

Many people think that the pope’s presence is the only way to stop Israeli threats, and that, once he leaves, the world will change and there may be a new reality, she said.

There is a great deal of concern about renewed conflict and the possibility that Israel will launch more attacks.

The visit was heavily impacted by Lebanon’s political paroxysm and economic collapse. In late 2019, millions of people fell into poverty as a result of decades of state mismanagement.

Around one million Syrian and Palestinian refugees are still being sheltered in the nation.

Source: Aljazeera