During a formal address at the Presidential Palace, Pope Leo XIV urged Lebanese leaders and civil society to embrace their historic vocation as peacemakers, reaffirming the role of Lebanon as a resilient nation with a unique message for the region and the world.

Addressing President Joseph Aoun, civil and religious authorities, and the diplomatic corps, His Holiness Pope Leo spoke of Lebanon as “a land where peace is more than just a word, it is a desire, a vocation, a gift, and a work in progress.”

Lebanon’s strength lies in resilience and renewal

Acknowledging the country's ongoing economic, political, and social challenges, Pope Leo praised the Lebanese people’s enduring ability to rise after every trial. “Your resilience is an essential characteristic of authentic peacemakers,” he said, noting that the work of peace “is indeed a continuous starting anew.”

In contrast to growing global pessimism, he called on Lebanon’s leaders to remain close to their people and speak “the language of hope,” the one shared national language capable of uniting Lebanon’s diverse communities.

In his remarks, the Pope emphasized that "lasting peace" must be built upon reconciliation, a process that, he said, goes beyond political negotiations and requires healing personal and collective wounds.

“There are wounds that take generations to heal,” he said. “The truth can only be honored through encountering one another.” Pope Leo urged leaders to prioritize the common good over factional interests and warned that peace cannot be reduced to a “precarious balance,” but must be based on genuine coexistence.

Staying in Lebanon is an act of courage

The Pope addressed the issue of youth emigration, expressing concern over the continued departure of young people and families due to economic and security hardships.

He praised those who choose to stay or return, hailing their choice as a “sacrifice” and “a courageous commitment to peace.” He also emphasized that migration, while enriching globally, must not erase the unique spiritual and cultural ties individuals have to their homeland.

Pope Leo called on Christians and Muslims alike, as well as every religious and civil group in Lebanon, to collaborate in creating conditions that would encourage young people to build their future at home rather than abroad.

He also underscored the role of women in peacebuilding, describing their contributions as essential to the renewal of societies: “Women have a special capacity for peacemaking, because they know how to cherish and strengthen profound bonds with life, people, and places.”

Call for 'peace' as aggression continues

Concluding his address, Pope Leo drew on Lebanese culture to illustrate his message: “You are a people who love music. On feast days, it becomes a dance, a language of joy and communion.”

He likened peace to a divine melody that leads people toward harmony. “Peace is not only the result of human effort, it is a gift that comes from God and dwells in our hearts,” he said.

"There is a shining quality that distinguishes the Lebanese: you are a people who do not give up, but in the face of trials, always know how to rise again with courage. Your resilience is an essential characteristic of authentic peacemakers," he declared. 

Pope Leo assured Lebanese leaders of his prayers and those of the global Church. “May this desire for peace, which comes from God, grow among you, for even today, peace can transform the way you live together in this land, a land that God deeply loves and continues to bless.”

His message of reconciliation and unity resonated deeply in a country that remains under threat and faces continued Israeli aggression, which directly and drastically undermines sovereignty and regional stability. 

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