Harissa: Pope Leo XIV, on the second day of his Apostolic Visit to Lebanon, delivered a stirring message to bishops, priests, religious men and women, and pastoral workers gathered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. Stressing that faith must be lived as “service and responsibility,” the Pope urged the Church in Lebanon to remain a source of unity, peace, and hope amid the country’s prolonged crises.
Reflecting on the visit’s theme, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Pope Leo recalled Saint John Paul II’s conviction that Lebanon holds a unique vocation: to keep hope alive in the Middle East. The recent testimonies from four pastoral workers, he said, show that the Church continues to fulfil this mission in “visible, courageous acts of love.”
The Pope drew attention to the deep spiritual roots of the country’s Christian tradition. He highlighted the silent, steadfast prayer of Saint Charbel and the Harissa Shrine’s role as a symbol of unity for all Lebanese Christian and non-Christian alike.
Perseverance in hardship, he said, emerges from prayer, “that invisible bridge that unites hearts,” especially when people live surrounded by the “sound of weapons” and daily uncertainty.
He also referred to the anchor depicted in the journey’s official logo, explaining drawing from Pope Francis’ teachings that faith anchors believers to heaven, giving direction even when instability prevails.
Stories shared by pastoral workers shaped much of the Pope’s address. He praised the spirit of coexistence in Debbabiyé, a village where Christians and Muslims, locals and refugees endure bombings and scarcity together.
A simple image a Syrian coin dropped into a Lebanese church’s alms box captured, he said, the essence of shared dignity and mutual charity.
Recalling Pope Benedict XVI’s 2012 visit to Lebanon, Pope Leo stressed that the Christian response to suffering must remain constant: forgiveness instead of revenge, unity instead of division, service instead of power.
Yet, he acknowledged the harsh realities many face, from injustice to economic desperation. Young people in particular, he said, must be given meaningful opportunities, including within the Church, to build a future they can trust.
Turning to the testimony of Loren, a migrant supporting displaced families, the Pope said her experiences reveal the cost of conflict on ordinary lives. Churches, he emphasized, must be places where migrants “never feel unwanted, only welcomed.”
He then commended Sister Dima, who kept her school open during violent clashes turning it into a refuge, a classroom, and a haven of normalcy. Education, he said, has always been a defining mission of the Lebanese Church and must remain central, especially for children in vulnerable situations. “Our first school is the Cross,” he added, “and our one Teacher is Christ.”
The Pope also highlighted Father Charbel’s work with prisoners, describing it as a powerful reminder that every human being retains dignity. Even in places marked by guilt and suffering, he said, the Church must reveal signs of God’s mercy and the possibility of starting anew.
Before concluding, Pope Leo presented a Golden Rose to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon an ancient papal gesture symbolizing love, reverence, and spiritual beauty. He said the offering should inspire all believers to become the “fragrance of Christ,” expressed not through grand gestures but through daily acts of charity, unity, and patience.
Pope Leo XIV closed his address by encouraging Lebanon’s clergy and faithful to continue building peace through unwavering faith, inclusive community life, and compassionate service. These, he said, remain the pillars for restoring trust, healing divisions, and securing a hopeful future for the nation.