Lebanon will host Pope Leo XIV from November 30 to December 2, 2025, in what will be his first apostolic visit to the land of cedars. The tour, which carries the motto «Blessed are those who work for peace,» has generated great anticipation among Maronite Catholics and Lebanese society as a whole, which perceives it as a gesture of hope amid the serious social, economic, and institutional crisis the country is going through.
For days now, various Lebanese cities—particularly Beirut—have been filling up with posters featuring the image of the Holy Father, highlighting messages such as «Peace be with you» or «Blessed are those who work for peace», accompanied by the official date of the visit. One of the large murals has been installed in the port area of Beirut, a symbol of the devastation after the 2020 explosion and also of the national yearning for reconstruction.
The official «Maronitas» account shared images of these preparations, showing cranes, banners, and fences at various points in the country, in an atmosphere of enthusiastic welcome.
Although the visit to Lebanon will officially begin on November 30, it is part of a broader trip that will include previous stages in Turkey. Pope Leo XIV will pass through Ankara, Istanbul, and İznik from November 27 to 29, where he will hold meetings with political authorities and leaders of other Christian confessions, also visiting the Atatürk Mausoleum and the Blue Mosque, and celebrating a Mass in the Istanbul arena.
Once in Beirut on November 30, the Holy Father will meet with the main Lebanese authorities and representatives of civil society. On December 1, he will visit the Monastery of Saint Charbel in Annaya, and celebrate an ecumenical and interreligious encounter in Martyrs’ Square, followed by a meeting with young people in Bkerké. On December 2, he will celebrate Mass at the Beirut Waterfront, after a silent prayer at the site of the port explosion, and close his visit with a farewell ceremony.