Pope Leo visits a wounded Lebanon in his first trip to the Middle East

"On Monday morning, well-wishers, many wearing rain-coats, lined the roads behind a metal railing under drizzly skies as his convoy made its way through the winding roads near Beirut to the mountain-top tomb of a 19th century hermit now recognized as Saint Charbel Makhlouf. Some threw rose petals at the popemobile as it made its way to the Maroun Monastery."

"At the tomb of the saint recognized for his miracles of healing, Pope Leo spoke of Charbel's silence, humbleness and poverty, which he described as "radical" qualities counter-cultural to modern life. The pope presented a gift of a hand-made votive lamp entwined with silver olive branches, saying he entrusted "Lebanon and its people to Saint Charbel so they would always walk in the light of Christ.""

"Lebanon played an important role in the history of early Christianity. The Galilee where Christians believe Jesus preached extends into part of present-day south Lebanon. The Maroun monastery dates back to a century after Jesus was crucified. Christians are believed to comprise about 30% of the Lebanese population, although there has not been a precise figure since the last census, under French rule in 1932."

Pope Leo XIV traveled to Lebanon on his first Middle East visit since his May election, arriving from Turkey where he marked the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. He visited the mountain-top tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf at the Maroun Monastery, praised Charbel's silence, humbleness and poverty as radical qualities, and presented a hand-made votive lamp entwined with silver olive branches. Well-wishers lined rainy roads and threw rose petals at the popemobile. Lebanon faces conflict with Israel and a severe economic crisis. Christians retain significant historical presence and political influence, with a Maronite Catholic presidency by convention.

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