Pope in Lebanon: ‘Blessed are those who put the goal of peace above all else’

Leo XIV has arrived in Beirut, where he delivered his first address to the authorities, speaking about the resilience of the Land of the Cedars and the challenge of achieving reconciliation that goes beyond a mere balance of interests. “A culture of reconciliation cannot arise solely from the grassroots,” he warned. “Ask yourselves: what can be done so that young people are not forced to emigrate?”

Beirut (AsiaNews) – “Peace is much more than a precarious balance between those who live separately under the same roof. Peace is knowing how to live together, in communion, as reconciled people.”

This was the clear and resonant message delivered by Pope Leo XIV on Sunday evening, 30 November, upon his arrival in Beirut – the second stop on his apostolic journey, which began in Turkey. His words, deeply rooted in the beauty and contradictions of the Land of the Cedars, set the tone for a visit marked by hope and challenge.

Upon landing at Beirut’s international airport, the pontiff proceeded directly to meet President Joseph Aoun, the former Maronite general elected in January after more than two painful years of political deadlock, largely due to Hezbollah’s vetoes. He then held talks with National Assembly Speaker Nabih Berri, founder of the Shiite Amal movement, and Sunni Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

After acknowledging the delicate balance of power that underpins this multi-confessional nation, the Pope – in his first address on Lebanese soil, delivered to political leaders, civil society and the diplomatic corps – urged all parties to take a “qualitative leap” by revisiting the Gospel beatitude of peacemakers in the Lebanese context.

“There are millions of Lebanese, here and throughout the world, who serve peace silently, day after day,” he said. “To you, however, who have important institutional tasks within this people, a special blessing is destined if you can say that you have put the goal of peace above all else.”

Leo XIV reflected on “what it means to be peacemakers in very complex, conflictual and uncertain circumstances.” He began by praising the resilience of the Lebanese people: “You are a people who do not succumb,” he said, “but who, in the face of trials, always know how to rise again with courage. Commitment and love for peace know no fear in the face of apparent defeat, are not bowed by disappointment, but know how to look ahead, welcoming and embracing all realities with hope. It takes tenacity to build peace; it takes perseverance to preserve and nurture life.”

This, he continued, is a lesson Lebanon offers to the entire world, which seems “overcome by a kind of pessimism and feeling of powerlessness: people seem unable even to ask themselves what they can do to change the course of history. Big decisions seem to be made by a few and, often, to the detriment of the common good, which appears to many as an inevitable fate.” By contrast, Lebanon has always sought and found ways to begin anew, thanks to “a vibrant, well-educated civil society, rich in young people capable of shaping the dreams and aspirations of an entire country.”

Yet peace – particularly in a land scarred by so many personal and collective wounds – also demands “the arduous path of reconciliation. If we do not work to heal memories and bring together those who have suffered wrongs and injustices, it will be difficult to move towards peace. We remain stuck, each prisoner of our own pain and reasons.” A culture of reconciliation, he stressed, cannot arise solely from grassroots goodwill: “It needs authorities and institutions that recognise the common good as superior to partisan interests. Peace,” warned Leo XIV, “is much more than a precarious balance between those who live separately under the same roof. Peace is knowing how to live together, in communion, as reconciled people. A reconciliation that, in addition to enabling us to live together, will teach us to work together, side by side, for a shared future. And then, peace becomes that abundance that surprises us when our horizon expands beyond every fence and barrier.”

The Pope then invited reflection on a third dimension of peace for Lebanon: the courage of those who “dare to remain, even when it costs sacrifice. We know,” he explained, “that uncertainty, violence, poverty and many other threats produce here, as in other parts of the world, an exodus of young people and families who seek a future elsewhere, even though it causes them great pain to leave their homeland. We must certainly recognise that much good comes to all of you from the Lebanese scattered throughout the world. However, we must not forget that remaining among one's own people and working day by day to develop a civilisation of love and peace remains something very valuable.”

For this reason, the Pope urged the entire Levant to ask: “What can be done so that young people, above all, do not feel compelled to abandon their land and emigrate? How can we motivate them not to seek peace elsewhere, but to find guarantees of it and become protagonists in their own native land? Christians and Muslims, together with all the religious and civil components of Lebanese society, are called to do their part in this regard and to commit themselves to raising awareness of this issue among the international community.” He also emphasised the role of women, who “have a specific capacity to work for peace, because they know how to nurture and develop deep bonds with life and with people. Blessed, therefore, are the women who work for peace and blessed are the young people who remain or return, so that Lebanon may continue to be a land full of life.”

Concluding his address, Pope Leo turned to music and dance, so cherished in Lebanese culture. “This aspect of your culture helps us to understand that peace is not only the result of human commitment, however necessary: peace,” he commented, “is a gift that comes from God and that, above all, dwells in our hearts. It is like an inner movement that pours outwards, enabling us to let ourselves be guided by a melody greater than ourselves, that of divine love. Those who dance move lightly, without trampling on the earth, harmonising their steps with those of others. So it is with peace: a journey moved by the Spirit, which makes the heart listen and renders it more attentive and respectful towards others. May this desire for peace, which comes from God and can transform the way we look at others and live together on this Earth that He loves deeply and continues to bless, grow among you today.”