Pope Levon XIV Arrives in Lebanon for a Three-Day Apostolic Visit

Pope Levon XIV has arrived in Lebanon for an apostolic visit, welcomed with a gun salute. At Beirut's international airport, he was greeted by President Joseph Aoun, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, as well as representatives of Christian and Muslim clergy.

In honor of Levon XIV's arrival, bells rang out in Beirut and other cities across Lebanon, while ships in the ports sounded their horns.

The Pope's apostolic visit will last for three days and will take place under the slogan 'Blessed are the Peacemakers.' Following the ceremony at the airport on November 30, the Pope will head to Baabda Palace, where he will hold discussions with state leaders and a formal reception will be held in his honor.

On the second day of the visit, December 1, Levon XIV will begin with a visit to the chapel in the city of Annaya, where the relics of 19th-century hermit monk Saint Sharbel are kept, a figure revered in Lebanon and across the Christian world.

It is expected that the Pope will address the meeting, calling for interfaith dialogue, tolerance, and a fight against violence.

The main event on December 2 will be an outdoor mass in the coastal area of the Lebanese capital, during which Levon XIV will pray for the victims of the explosion that occurred at Beirut's port on August 4, 2020.