Pope Leo has called for “coexistence” on the second day of his visit to Lebanon, bringing together clergy from across the religious spectrum on both sides of the former civil war dividing line and calling for unity in a region torn by violence.
Standing in Martyrs’ Square on Monday, the site marked by the “green line” that divided Muslim West and Christian East Beirut during the 1975-90 civil war, Leo said Lebanon had shown that “fear, mistrust and prejudice do not have the final word”.
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“In an era where coexistence may seem like a distant dream, the people of Lebanon, embracing different religions, stand as a powerful reminder that … unity, reconciliation and peace are possible,” he said.
“Every bell tolls; every adhan, every call to prayer blends into a single, soaring hymn,” he added, using the Arabic word for the Muslim prayer.
Martyrs Square – a monument honoring those who died for Lebanon’s independence and later the focus of mass protests demanding political change – symbolizes the country’s struggle to overcome sectarianism.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodra, reporting from Beirut, showed a contrast to the image of interfaith unity in Lebanese politics.
“Religious leaders gathered under one tent seem to be speaking with one voice, but the reality is that this country is deeply divided,” she said.
‘Long Live the Pope’
Leo arrived in Lebanon on Sunday as part of his first foreign trip as pope, which also included a stop in Turkey. He met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the only Christian head of state in the Arab world, and addressed diplomats and officials at the presidential palace.
Earlier on Monday, the US pontiff visited the mausoleum of Saint Charbel, a Catholic saint revered throughout the region, before heading to a shrine on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in Harissa. The crowd chanted “Viva il Papa” as he came under the magnificent statue of the Virgin Mary.
About 15,000 young people later gathered outside the Maronite Catholic headquarters to hear the 70-year-old pontiff speak.
“You have hope, a gift that we adults have lost,” he told them. “You have more time to dream, plan and do good.”
Lebanon is home to one of the largest Christian communities in the Middle East, accounting for approximately 30 percent of the population, with Shia and Sunni communities including Muslims, as well as Alawite and Druze minorities. Monday’s interfaith gathering was attended by representatives of all major sects, including leaders from communities facing violence in neighboring Syria.
Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, deputy head of the Supreme Shia Islamic Council, thanked the pope for the visit, but local media warned that the country was still deeply wounded by “Israel’s constant attacks”.
Israeli tensions have risen during the visit
As the Pope delivers his message of unity, the country is embroiled in a wider regional conflict. Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on October 8, 2023, describing the attacks as an act of solidarity, after Israel began a massacre against Palestinians in Gaza the previous day.
The Lebanese Armed Forces were later severely weakened in September 2024 following Israel’s major escalation in the country.
Since the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah has responded to Israeli attacks only once. However, Israel has continued cross-border attacks that have killed more than 300 people, including about 127 civilians, in Lebanon, according to the United Nations.
Al Jazeera’s Khoder said Leo avoided commenting directly on the fight, although he had previously called for dialogue.
“Many people believe that the pope’s presence is the only deterrent to Israeli threats … and that once he is gone, the shadow of war will change and there may be a different reality,” she said.
“There is great concern about renewed conflict and that Israel will increase its attacks.”
Lebanon’s political paralysis and economic collapse have also had a major impact on the visit. In late 2019, decades of state mismanagement led to an economic meltdown and plunged millions into poverty.
The country also continues to host around one million Syrian and Palestinian refugees.
On Tuesday, Leo will visit the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion before leading crowds along the city’s historic waterfront.