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Pope leads silent prayer at Beirut port explosion site
Pope Leo XIV concluded his three-day trip to Lebanon on Tuesday by standing in silent prayer at the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, demanding accountability for the 218 victims of the disaster.
Meeting victims' families
The pontiff met with relatives of those killed in the blast, which leveled large sections of the capital on 4 August 2020. The explosion occurred when a fire ignited 2,750 tonnes of improperly stored ammonium nitrate, a highly combustible chemical that had been left in a port warehouse for nearly six years.
No individuals have been held responsible for the tragedy, despite widespread allegations that officials and politicians were aware of the danger but failed to act.
Calls for truth and unity
Speaking after his visit, Pope Leo XIV described himself as "deeply moved" by the experience, acknowledging the "thirst for truth and justice" among the victims' families and the broader Lebanese population.
"We know that he raises his voice for justice, and we need justice for our brothers and all the victims of this explosion."
Cecile Roukoz, whose brother Joseph was killed in the blast
Tatiana Hasrouty, who lost her father Ghassan, said the Pope's presence offered hope: "He's trying to help us find the truth in his way-through prayer, through seeing us. After five years, we need people to look at us."
Mass and message of reconciliation
Later, the Pope celebrated Mass before an estimated 150,000 people along Beirut's waterfront. In his address, he lamented Lebanon's struggles, noting that its beauty had been "overshadowed by poverty and suffering."
He urged the country's divided communities to set aside differences and work toward unity, stating: "Let us cast off the armour of our ethnic and political divisions, open our religious confessions to mutual encounter, and reawaken the dream of a united Lebanon-a Lebanon where peace and justice reign."
Lebanon's crises and the Pope's reflections
Since the last papal visit in 2012, Lebanon has faced a cascade of challenges: a severe economic collapse in 2019, mass protests, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the devastating port explosion. Political gridlock has blocked reforms needed to secure international aid, deepening the country's instability.
More recently, Lebanon endured a 13-month conflict between the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah and Israel, which killed 4,000 Lebanese and 120 Israelis. Though a ceasefire ended the war a year ago, Israel has continued strikes on targets it links to Hezbollah, accusing the Iran-backed group of rearming.
On his return to Rome, the Pope praised Lebanon as a model of coexistence between Islam and Christianity, suggesting its example could inspire greater dialogue in Europe and North America.
