Pope Leo XIV before 150,000 faithful in Lebanon: 'The Middle East needs to reject the mentality of revenge and violence'

Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass in Beirut before some 150,000 people, in the second stop of his first international tour.

"The Middle East needs new approaches, in order to reject the mindset of revenge and violence, to overcome political, social and religious divisions, and to open new chapters in the name of reconciliation and peace," the supreme pontiff assured, encouraging Christians in the Middle East to "have courage."

"The beauty of your country is also overshadowed by the many problems that afflict you, the fragile and often unstable political context, the dramatic economic crisis that weighs heavily upon you and the violence and conflicts that have reawakened ancient fears," the pope said during the Mass celebrated by the sea.

"Let us cast off the armor of our ethnic and political divisions, open our religious confessions to mutual encounter and reawaken in our hearts the dream of a united Lebanon," he added in his homily.

Arriving at the religious service on the last day of his trip, Leo XIV made his way through the crowd in his popemobile as people offered him roses, in the presence of high-ranking officials, including President Joseph Aoun, according to AFP.

"We have come with joy to take part in this heavenly celebration," said Samira Khoury, one of the 150,000 people who attended, according to the Vatican press service, which cited figures from local authorities.

Prayers for those killed in 2020 blast

"The pope puts joy and peace in our hearts and strengthens our hope," Khoury told AFP.

Some participants traveled from abroad, including from neighboring Syria, or from farther afield such as the United States, while the excited crowd also included migrant workers from countries such as the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

"It's a sign of hope for Lebanon. I can already feel the peace just by seeing the people and how happy they are, and I can see the hope in their eyes for the future," said Elias Fadel, 22. "Hopefully there won't be any war," he added.

Much of the city center was closed to traffic for the occasion and soldiers were deployed on nearby roads.

Before the Mass, the pope prayed at the port, where the catastrophic explosion occurred on Aug. 4, 2020, which killed more than 220 people, injured more than 6,500 and devastated large parts of Beirut.

At a memorial to the deceased, with shipping containers, rubble and the devastated grain silos visible nearby, Leo XIV lit a lamp after praying silently.

He then shook hands, blessed and spoke with survivors and relatives of the victims, including children, many of whom held photos of their loved ones.