Tens of thousands of faithful gathered at Beirut’s waterfront on Tuesday as Pope Leo XIV celebrated a highly anticipated mass. The service marked the emotional culmination of his historic apostolic journey to Lebanon.
The waterfront event was the largest gathering of the Pontiff’s visit. Organizers confirmed that more than 120,000 people attended the service.
Earlier in the day, authorities closed large sections of the city center to traffic. Soldiers secured the routes as streams of pilgrims filled the capital to reach the mass site.
Prayers for the Vulnerable
The Pope began his final day in Lebanon with an emotional visit to a psychiatric hospital near the capital. The facility is managed by the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross.
Patients and staff welcomed the Pontiff with applause, cheers, and a shower of rose petals. During the visit, Mother Superior Marie Makhlouf expressed her deep gratitude. She thanked him for acting as “a father to the forgotten, the abandoned, and the marginalized.”
She also highlighted the immense challenges the hospital faces. The facility struggles to operate following the collapse of state institutions and the country’s severe economic crisis.
In response, Pope Leo paid tribute to the nuns’ dedication. He used the moment to issue a broader social critique regarding the treatment of the poor.
“We cannot forget those who are most fragile,” he stated. He warned against a society that races ahead while ignoring widespread poverty and vulnerability.
Solemn Remembrance at the Port
Before the main mass, the Pope held a moment of silent prayer at the site of the catastrophic port explosion of August 4, 2020.
The blast, caused by haphazardly stored ammonium nitrate, killed over 220 people and injured more than 6,500. It devastated large swathes of the city.
The Pontiff paid his respects to the families of victims and survivors. This visit carried significant weight, as families continue to fight for justice. Political figures have repeatedly obstructed the investigation into the disaster, leaving many without closure.
A Mission of Hope
Pope Leo arrived from Turkey on Sunday for his inaugural foreign trip. throughout his stay, he delivered a message of resilience to the population. The nation remains weary from economic hardship and the trauma of the previous year’s conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Monday, he sought to bridge divides by calling on Christian and Muslim leaders to combat intolerance.
Later that day, he received a massive welcome from approximately 15,000 young people at Bkerke. There, he urged the youth to become “the source of hope” that Lebanon desperately needs.
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