Monsignor Abdo Abou Kassem, Head of the Lebanese Catholic Media Center, confirmed to Al Mayadeen on Monday that the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon, scheduled for early December, remains firmly on track.

Abou Kassem dismissed reports suggesting the visit might be cancelled, stressing that such claims are "entirely baseless." He reiterated that no changes have been made to the Pope's itinerary and that preparations are complete to welcome "the distinguished guest."

According to the official program, Pope Leo XIV is set to arrive in Beirut on November 30, 2025 and will remain in the country until December 2, 2025. His visit will begin with a reception at Rafic Hariri International Airport, followed by meetings with Lebanon's top state officials, including the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Prime Minister. He will also meet civil society representatives and the diplomatic corps.

During his stay, the Pope is scheduled to visit several significant religious and national sites. These include a prayer visit to the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf at the Monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya, a gathering with clergy and pastoral workers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, and an interfaith event at Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square. The itinerary also features a major Mass at the Beirut waterfront, along with a moment of silent prayer at the site of the 2020 port explosion.

This confirmation comes one day after the Israeli occupation launched an attack on Beirut's Southern Suburb, specifically targeting the Haret Hreik area.

The assault resulted in the martyrdom of senior Hezbollah commander Haitham Ali al-Tabatabaei, along with several others accompanying him: Qassem Barjaoui, Mustafa Berro, Rifaat Hussein, and Ibrahim Hussein.

Read more: Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of commander Haitham al-Tabatabai