Pope Leo Concludes Lebanon Visit with Massive Mass and Port Prayer

Pope Leo XIV concluded his three-day Apostolic Visit to Lebanon on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 (Day 3), with a powerful itinerary focused on solidarity, remembrance, and a final, massive appeal for peace. The day’s events culminated in a grand, final Mass on the Beirut waterfront, drawing hundreds of thousands of worshippers and serving as the emotional peak of the pontiff’s tour. Before his departure, the Pope left the nation with a final, emotional message urging justice and unity.
A Moment of Silence for the Beirut Blast Victims
The morning began with a profound moment of solidarity as the Holy Father visited the Port of Beirut. The Pope stood in silent prayer at the site of the catastrophic August 2020 explosion, paying tribute to the victims and their families. With the severely damaged grain silos looming in the background, the scene offered a stark visual reminder of the national trauma and the urgent need for justice. The Pope laid a wreath of flowers and lit a lamp, before spending time greeting and blessing over 60 survivors and bereaved relatives. This deeply moving gesture underscored the Church’s unwavering support for the victims and the Lebanese people’s quest for accountability.
Mass on the Waterfront: Call for Justice and Fraternity
Following the private prayer, Pope Leo XIV presided over a colossal Holy Mass held at the Beirut Waterfront. An estimated 150,000 worshippers packed the waterfront area for the final public event of the papal visit. In his homily, the Pope directly confronted the many crises facing Lebanon—from economic collapse to political paralysis and fear of renewed conflict—urging the faithful not to be resigned to hopelessness.
He delivered a powerful call for national unity, stating: “Let us cast off the armor of our ethnic and political divisions, open our religious confessions to mutual encounter and reawaken in our hearts the dream of a united Lebanon.” He insisted that justice was an essential part of the equation for recovery, concluding with a soaring appeal: “Lebanon, stand up! Be a home of justice and fraternity! Be a prophetic sign of peace for the whole of the Levant!”
Farewell and Message for the South
Earlier in the morning, the Pope visited the De La Croix Hospital in Jal El Dib to meet with sick children and staff, offering a final gesture of charitable service.
The visit formally concluded with a farewell ceremony at the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. As he boarded the plane for Rome, the Pope delivered an emotional final message to the political and religious leaders present. He specifically addressed the ongoing instability in southern Lebanon, urging an end to hostilities there. “As I leave this land, I carry you in my heart,” the Pope said, praising the Lebanese people’s resilience and strength, likening them to the enduring Cedars of Lebanon. Pope Leo XIV’s first overseas Apostolic Journey ended with a clear mandate for the nation: to rebuild its future on the foundations of peace, justice, and dialogue.