Lebanon's Catholic leader Pope Leo has called on politicians to prioritize peace above all else, warning that the country is "rocked by the spillover of the war in Gaza" as tensions with neighboring Israel continue to escalate.
Speaking at a packed presidential palace chamber in Beirut, Pope Leo urged Lebanese leaders to focus on reconciliation and put their people's needs first, saying "it takes real courage and foresight to stay or return to one's own country." The call for peace came despite Lebanon hosting nearly 1 million refugees from Syria and Palestine, as well as facing its own economic crisis.
According to the pope, building peace requires tenacity and commitment. He condemned violence in the name of religion, but did not specifically address Israel's actions against Hezbollah or other militant groups in the region.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions between Lebanon and Israel, with some fearing that a dramatic escalation could occur in coming months. However, Pope Leo remained focused on promoting peace and unity among Lebanon's diverse communities.
During his speech at the palace, Pope Leo praised Lebanon as "a country where Christians and Muslims live, different but equal." The visit to Lebanon is part of Pope Leo's first overseas trip as the Catholic leader, during which he will travel to five cities and towns.
Speaking at a packed presidential palace chamber in Beirut, Pope Leo urged Lebanese leaders to focus on reconciliation and put their people's needs first, saying "it takes real courage and foresight to stay or return to one's own country." The call for peace came despite Lebanon hosting nearly 1 million refugees from Syria and Palestine, as well as facing its own economic crisis.
According to the pope, building peace requires tenacity and commitment. He condemned violence in the name of religion, but did not specifically address Israel's actions against Hezbollah or other militant groups in the region.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions between Lebanon and Israel, with some fearing that a dramatic escalation could occur in coming months. However, Pope Leo remained focused on promoting peace and unity among Lebanon's diverse communities.
During his speech at the palace, Pope Leo praised Lebanon as "a country where Christians and Muslims live, different but equal." The visit to Lebanon is part of Pope Leo's first overseas trip as the Catholic leader, during which he will travel to five cities and towns.
, especially when it comes to keeping things real in Lebanon right now. I mean, with those refugees from Syria and Palestine coming in, plus their own economic troubles... the country's got enough on its plate without the Israel situation making things worse 
. The pope's all about peace and unity - that's something we can all get behind 
. And honestly, it's refreshing to hear a leader talking about putting people's needs first instead of just playing politics 
. I wish more leaders would take a page from Pope Leo's book 
.
. I mean, 1 million refugees from Syria and Palestine just pouring into a country already struggling with its own issues? It's like, where do they even begin to rebuild and fix everything at once? 
. I think what's sad is that we've all been conditioned to expect conflicts and tensions, especially in the Middle East 
. It's like, we're all waiting for someone else to fix it, rather than taking responsibility ourselves 
.
. We can't just sit back and hope things get better on their own 
We need more leaders like him who truly care about the common good 
. I mean, they're already dealing with a huge economic crisis and hosting so many refugees from Syria and Palestine... it's like, can't we all just get along? 
The pope saying that building peace requires tenacity and commitment is like, really inspiring, but at the same time, I'm like "okay, what's being done to actually address these issues?" 
. Still, I'm glad he's trying to promote peace and unity - that's really what we need right now 
i mean, how can politicians even think bout power & money when ppl are literally struggling 2 survive rn? Lebanon sounds like such a complex situation tho...i feel 4 the people w/ refugees from syria/palestine they must b goin thru alot 
.
. I hope he sticks to his message and doesn't get caught up in all the politics. One thing's for sure, Lebanon needs it – they need unity, they need stability, and they need peace above all else 
I'm getting so tired of all this conflict in the Middle East... it's like they're just fueling each other's fires 
. But at the same time, I think Pope Leo is totally right - we need to put our people's needs first and work towards peace. It's not easy, especially with a million refugees living here and the economic crisis we're dealing with 
. I wish our leaders could just get along and focus on building something positive for once 
. And I love that Pope Leo is highlighting the importance of unity among our diverse communities - it's what we need right now 
The pope's words are super inspiring though, about putting people's needs first and all that. But seriously, building peace takes effort from everyone involved, not just one person or group. And what's up with the lack of mention of Israel's actions in his speech tho... 
if anyone can put the pieces together, it's pope leo 
his message about prioritizing peace is like, super timely 
especially with all those refugees from syria and palestine 
the pope's got a point about building peace requiring tenacity and commitment - sounds like lebanon needs a community effort 
what really gets me though is how some folks are worried about a dramatic escalation between lebanon and israel 
pope leo didn't address that specifically, but i think he's onto something with promoting unity among the country's diverse communities 
. pope leo might be onto somethin' with this peace thing tho - who knows, maybe it'll rub off on the rest of the world 
but at the same time, lebanon's economic crisis is getting worse by the day, it's hard to see how anyone can focus on peace when they're struggling to put food on the table 
and those 1 million refugees are still waiting for help from their own governments 
. anyway, i'm loving that pope leo emphasized unity and equality - like, who wouldn't want to live in a country where christians and muslims coexist peacefully? 
). It's like they're saying, "Hey, we may have our differences, but at the end of the day, we're all human beings." That's the kind of message that can really make a difference. We just need more people with Pope Leo's level of courage and foresight to lead us towards peace 
. Still, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this guy, and for Lebanon - they're worth fighting for 
. And then you have the tensions with Israel escalating... it feels like the whole world is weighing on their shoulders