Pope Leo XIV calls for unity at interfaith gathering in Beirut, urging leaders to overcome sectarian divisions and work for peace in Lebanon.
BEIRUT: Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful message of unity to Lebanon’s Christian and Muslim leaders at a historic interreligious gathering in Martyrs’ Square.
The pontiff urged the assembled spiritual heads to become “builders of peace: to confront intolerance, overcome violence and banish exclusion, illuminating the path toward justice and concord”.
The location was deeply symbolic, as the square served as a demarcation line dividing Beirut along sectarian lines during Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war.
Leaders from 16 of Lebanon’s 18 officially recognised Muslim and Christian denominations attended the meeting under a pavilion bearing the word “peace” in French and Arabic.
The gathering highlighted Lebanon’s unique experience in inter-sect dialogue, according to Naila Tabbara of the Adyan foundation.
“Even in the most difficult times, this dialogue has continued,” she said, noting the pope wished to showcase a solidarity “that transcends affiliations”.
Lebanon’s political system is constitutionally based on religious balance, mandating a Maronite Christian president, a Sunni Muslim prime minister, and a Shiite Muslim parliament speaker.
Recent crises, including the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, have exacerbated political and religious divisions within the country.
Shiite cleric Fuad Khreis said the pope’s visit “underscores the importance of dialogue and coexistence in Lebanon”.
“Lebanon is strong because of its people and all its sects… We must stand together as one and talk to each other,” he added.
In his address, Pope Leo described coexistence as Lebanon’s enduring mission to prove diverse faiths can build a nation “united by respect and dialogue”.
The pontiff concluded the event by planting an olive tree, calling it a “timeless symbol of reconciliation and peace” revered in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
