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3. Lebanese Red Cross’s Final Sprint Ahead of the Pope’s Visit

Ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon, scheduled from November 30 to December 2, the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) shared with This is Beirut details of the unprecedented medical and logistical setup designed to ensure the safety of anticipated crowds.

Through its Emergency Medical Services Sector (EMS), the Red Cross says it is fully prepared to manage mass gatherings. The organization is coordinating directly with the Republican Guard, the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the Ministry of Health to guarantee a fast, efficient, and integrated response throughout the Pope’s visit. Preparations include full route planning, mapping major gathering sites, and strategically deploying forward posts equipped with ambulances and medical tents.

The EMS will deploy over 330 fully equipped ambulances, along with 5,200 volunteers trained as emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Doctors and nurses will be stationed in the medical tents and forward units, ready to respond to emergencies. A mobile dispatch unit will coordinate all field movements in real time, ensuring optimal management of any potential incidents.

The Lebanese Red Cross emphasizes that its preparation goes beyond standard medical interventions. The setup also includes mass-evacuation plans, management of large numbers of casualties, and readiness for potential natural disasters, making this one of the most comprehensive mobilizations in recent years.

It should be noted that the Holy Father will arrive in Beirut on Sunday, November 30, before meeting successively at the Baabda Palace with the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, the Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, as well as civil and diplomatic authorities.

The following day, the Pope will travel to Annaya, to the tomb of Saint Charbel, then to Harissa for a meeting with bishops and consecrated persons, before participating in an ecumenical gathering at Martyrs’ Square in Beirut and visiting Bkerke for an exchange with the youth.

On Tuesday, December 2, the final day of his visit, Leo XIV will visit the Psychiatric Hospital of the Sisters of the Cross in Jal el-Dib, pay respects at the Beirut port explosion site, and celebrate a mass on the seaside promenade. Finally, he will attend a farewell ceremony at the airport before departing for Rome.