"Pope Leo XIV arrived in Beirut on Sunday for a three-day visit to Lebanon, his second stop after travelling to Turkey, marking his first overseas tour since succeeding the late Pope Francis last May. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was on hand at Rafic Hariri International Airport to greet him. Footage shows the pontiff receiving an official reception as he disembarked the Vatican plane, with ceremonial honours and welcoming delegations gathered on the runway. “As the Lebanese people, we warmly welcomed and were very happy with the Pope’s visit. His presence brings peace, joy, and love, and it is a blessing. God willing, peace will prevail throughout Lebanon,” said Janet Jabbara, one of the Pope’s greeters. “In Lebanon, we have come through an explosion, a crisis, and an economic crisis as well. The Pope came to give us hope for all Christians in Lebanon, telling us: You are not alone, we support you,” another greeter added. During his three-day programme, Pope Leo XIV will hold meetings with senior officials, civil society figures, diplomats and religious leaders. He is also set to lead a commemorative mass at the site of the Beirut port explosion, which devastated large parts of the capital in 2020. The visit comes at a highly sensitive moment for the region, amid escalating Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese territory and renewed warnings from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of potential military action should Beirut fail to disarm Hezbollah. Israel has carried out multiple strikes inside Lebanon since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect on November 27, 2024."