Bkerke: Pope Leo XIV closed his first full day in Lebanon with an energetic and emotional gathering of thousands of young people in Bkerké, offering them a powerful message of hope: even in a wounded nation, it is not too late to dream, rebuild, and transform the world.
The evening event opened with testimonies from volunteers and young participants who spoke about perseverance, war-time memories, and the struggle to hold onto hope. Two young people also posed questions to the Pope, laying the groundwork for a heartfelt conversation.
The Pope began by addressing the crowd with the greeting of the Risen Christ, “assalamu alaikum”, saying their enthusiasm itself was a sign of God’s closeness. He warmly welcomed Lebanese youth as well as young people who had travelled from Syria and Iraq or returned from the diaspora, noting their shared courage in a region marked by hardship.
Their stories, he said, were testimonies of “courage in suffering, hope amid disappointment, and inner peace in the shadow of conflict.”
Reflecting on Lebanon’s turbulent history, Pope Leo acknowledged the frustration many young people feel about inheriting a country scarred by war, economic collapse, and social injustice. Yet he insisted that young hearts hold a unique strength that societies too often forget.
“Adults may lose hope,” he said, “but you have not. There is still time to plan, to dream, and to do good.”
He urged them not to surrender to despair and reminded them that they are not merely tomorrow’s leaders they are shaping Lebanon today. The four testimonies offered before his address, he said, were “prophecies of a new future” grounded in mutual forgiveness and solidarity.
Drawing on the image of the Lebanese cedar, the Pope told the youth that their nation has the capacity to rise again. Cedars grow strong because they are deeply rooted, he said, and Lebanon will recover if its people stay rooted in goodness, service, and the example of those who worked for the common good without exploiting society.
He emphasized that peace must be built on a firm foundation not on ideas or political calculations, but on the living presence of the risen Christ. True peace, he added, is impartial, rooted in justice, and never driven by partisan interests.
Responding to a question about preserving genuine relationships, Pope Leo cautioned young people against self-centered friendships. If one’s ego becomes the center of a relationship, he said, “it cannot bear fruit.”
True friendship, he explained, places “you” before “I,” and genuine love is something that cannot have an expiration date. Strong friendships like strong families and religious vocations are built on permanence, trust, and the commitment to build a wider “we” that embraces all humanity.
The Pope reminded the youth that love is the clearest sign of God’s presence in the world. Charity, he said, is a language understood by every heart, because it has been spoken by Jesus, the saints, and countless young people who change the world quietly through goodness.
Pope Leo encouraged them to draw strength from youthful saints such as Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, along with Lebanon’s own spiritual giants St. Rafqa, Blessed Yakub El-Haddad, and St. Charbel who show that holiness is possible in every age.
In a world filled with noise and distraction, the Pope invited the youth to carve out moments each day for God. “Close your eyes,” he said, “and look only at Him.” Even when God seems silent, he said, He speaks to hearts that seek Him with sincerity.
Pope Leo concluded by praising the many young people who carry rosaries as a sign of faith. He urged them to treasure the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace” as a compass for their journey.
With joy, song, and hope filling the square in Bkerké, the Pope left Lebanese youth with a challenge and a promise: do not grow weary, do not lose your fire, and remember that the world can still be changed because of you.