For weeks, speculation ran high about Pope Leo XIV’s possible visit to Lebanon, met with denials from the Apostolic Nuncio and silence from the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke. But the secrecy appears to be lifting. According to MTV Lebanon, the Vatican is set to officially confirm the papal visit, scheduled for November 30 to December 2.
A Seven-Part Program
The Pope is expected to land at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on November 30, where he will be welcomed by a joint political and religious delegation led by President Joseph Aoun. He will stay at the Apostolic Nunciature and carry out a packed schedule of high-level engagements over three days.
The three-day visit will feature seven major stops, each selected for its national, religious or symbolic significance, according to the broadcaster.
The itinerary begins with an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, where President Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will be joined by ministers, religious leaders and key political figures.
A large public Mass will follow on Beirut’s waterfront, chosen after several proposed venues were considered. Tens of thousands are expected to attend the open-air liturgy in the heart of the capital.
The Pope will also meet with the youth at the Patriarchal Seat in Bkerke, underscoring the Vatican’s outreach to the region’s next generation.
A gathering with Catholic clergy and religious orders – including patriarchs, bishops, priests, monks and nuns – will take place at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa.
In a show of interfaith solidarity, the Pope will participate in a Christian-Muslim dialogue event at Martyrs’ Square, alongside prominent figures from both religious communities.
He will then make a historic pilgrimage to the Monastery of Saint Maron in Annaya, home to the shrine of Saint Charbel, marking the first-ever papal visit to the site. In preparation, the road from Jbeil to Annaya will be illuminated ahead of his arrival.
The final stop will be a visit to the Deir al-Salib convent in Bkennaya, where he will be welcomed by Mother Marie Makhlouf, the Franciscan Sisters, medical staff and a large group of patients.
Organizing at Full Speed
To make up for delays in preparation, organizing committees are holding intensive daily meetings covering logistics, security and protocol. These efforts are jointly coordinated by the Presidency of the Republic, a Vatican-organized committee of Catholic bishops and the Apostolic Nunciature. Preparations are being personally handled by First Lady Neemat Aoun, who has been following the file for weeks.
This would be the fourth papal visit to Lebanon.
Elected on May 8, Pope Leo XIV has chosen Lebanon for his first trip abroad, a highly symbolic gesture in a region beset by turmoil. The Lebanese stop will be followed by a visit to Turkey, to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD by order of Roman Emperor Constantine I. The Council was a milestone in Christian history, as it produced the Nicene Creed, a foundational text of Christian theology.
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