Pope in Lebanon asks for 'divine gift of peace' alongside country's Christian and Muslim leaders
Pope Leo XIV prays in front of the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf at the Monastery of Saint Maroun, in Annaya, Lebanon, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, Pool)
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Pope Leo XIV celebrated Lebanon's tradition of interfaith coexistence Monday as a beacon of hope for a conflict-torn region, as he asked for “the divine gift of peace” alongside the country’s Christian and Muslim religious leaders.
Leo received a raucous, ululating welcome from the crowds and a sincere welcome from its spiritual leaders on his first full day in Lebanon, where billboards with his image dotted highways around the capital. Thousands of ordinary Lebanese braved a steady rain in the morning to line his motorcade route, some throwing flower petals and rice on his car in a gesture of welcome.
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