Lebanon welcomes Pope Leo XIV with rice, folklore, received by the three Heads of State

Pope Leo XIV has touched down in Beirut, Lebanon, greeted with a 21-artillery salute and crowds lining the streets as his convoy passed through the city en route to Baabda Palace. The 70-year-old Pontiff is preparing for a packed schedule during his three-day stay, visiting five cities and towns before returning to Rome on Tuesday. His program includes a visit and prayer at the site of the Beirut Port explosion, a major open-air Mass on Beirut’s seafront, and a stop at a psychiatric hospital to meet patients and caregivers.