Pope Leo's Inspiring Message: A Beacon of Hope for Lebanon's Youth Amidst Crisis

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Pope Leo XIV received a rock star welcome from thousands of Lebanese youth as he brought them a message of hope on the second day of his visit to the crisis-hit country.

Locals joyfully welcomed the American pontiff, turning out in their thousands for his public appearances and lining the streets where his motorcade passed, waving Vatican flags, ululating, and throwing rice in celebration despite intermittent rain.

But at Monday’s youth event in Bkerke, north of Beirut, the jubilation hit a fever pitch as the pope was met with cheers, whistling, and thunderous applause, with attendees jostling to snap photos and videos on their mobile phones.

Leo urged the crowd — said by organisers to number around 15,000 — to “build a better world than the one you inherited”, after hearing testimonies from several young people who spoke of the difficulties they and their country are facing.

“You have the power to change history’s trajectory,” Leo declared.

“Young people of Lebanon, grow strong like the cedars and make the world blossom with hope!” Leo said.

“Be the source of hope that the country is waiting for!”

Many Lebanese, particularly young people, left the country after the 2019 onset of a crushing economic crisis, widely blamed on official corruption and mismanagement, or following the devastating explosion at Beirut’s port the following year.

Concerns have recently intensified regarding the possibility of renewed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This follows a ceasefire agreement from November 2024, which aimed to resolve more than a year of tensions between the two parties.

“In an era when coexistence might seem like a far-fetched aspiration, the people of Lebanon serve as a potent reminder that fear, distrust, and prejudice are not the final arbiters. Unity, reconciliation, and peace can indeed be achieved,” he asserted.

Stephanie Nasr, 25, said she was “very moved” by the pope’s message.

“Of course it’s a message of peace, but it’s also recognition of all the resilience that we’ve shown, and the solidarity that Lebanon and young people have displayed in recent years,” she told Agence France-Presse.

Leo also met with leaders from Lebanon’s myriad religious communities in a show of unity.

“You are called to be builders of peace: to confront intolerance, overcome violence, and banish exclusion, illuminating the path toward justice,” he told them.

Pope Leo engaged with young people at the Maronite Patriarchate situated in Bkerke, north of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. Source: AFP / Giuseppe Cacace

A woman waves a Lebanese flag among a crowd.

Despite being long celebrated as a beacon of coexistence, Lebanon endured a brutal civil war from 1975 to 1990 that was marked by sectarian divisions, leaving the nation grappling with significant internal discord.

He emphasized that prayer “provides us with the resilience to maintain hope and continue our efforts, even amidst the clamor of conflict and when basic daily necessities turn into daunting challenges,” he conveyed to those present.

‘Message of peace’

Tony Elias, 43, a priest from the village of Rmeish along Lebanon’s border with Israel, said: “We have lived through nearly two and a half years of war, but have never been without hope.”

Leo “has come to confirm that what we have gone through has not been in vain, and we believe that he brings a real message of peace — a living peace”, he told AFP from Harissa.

In spite of the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, intensifying its attacks in recent weeks, and the cash-strapped Lebanese government has come under heavy United States pressure to disarm the Iran-backed militants.

Hezbollah maintains the ceasefire only requires it to remove weapons and fighters from the area south of Litani River.

It also claims it is the only party able to protect Lebanon from Israel and refuses to surrender its weapons.

Leo arrived from Türkiye on Sunday on his inaugural visit abroad as pontiff.

Lebanese authorities have declared Monday and Tuesday official holidays and have ramped up security measures, including road closures and a ban on drone photography.

“Everyone goes to Rome to see the pope, but he has come to us,” said Therese Daraouni, 61, calling the visit “the greatest blessing”.

Yasmine Chidiac, who was hoping to catch sight of Leo, said the trip “has brought a smile back to our faces”.