Pope Leo wraps up Lebanon visit with prayers at site of Beirut port blast

Capping off symbolic three-day visit, the Pontiff urged Lebanese unity and the pursuit of peace and justice.Published On 2 Dec 2025Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers at the site of the 2020 Beirut port blast, one of the final stops in his three-day visit to Lebanon.The Catholic leader prayed silently and lit a lamp on Tuesday morning at a monument to the more than 220 people that were killed and 6,500 injured in the explosion. The United States-born pontiff has urged peaceful coexistence across the Middle East during his inaugural trip abroad.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Pope Leo visits Blue Mosque in Turkiye’s Istanbullist 2 of 3Minorities hail renewed space as Pope Leo visits Turkiyelist 3 of 3Pope, Orthodox leader mark Christian milestone in historic Turkiye meetingend of listWith mounds of rubble and the remains of the devastated facility within sight, the Pontiff shook hands, blessed and spoke with each one of the survivors and relatives of victims who were present.“We are very grateful for this visit from the Pope,” said Cecile Roukoz, a lawyer whose brother died in the explosion. “We know that he raises his voice” for justice “and we need justice for our brothers and all the victims of this explosion”.Reporting from Beirut’s waterfront, where Leo later held Mass, Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr said many Lebanese people see his outreach at the blast site as a powerful gesture.“For the Pope to speak to the family members one by one … it really meant a lot,” she said.Victims and families of those killed are still seeking justice five years after the blast, which caused billions of dollars in damage as it tore through neighbourhoods.No official has been convicted in a judicial investigation that has been repeatedly obstructed, angering Lebanese for whom the blast was just the latest evidence of impunity after decades of corruption and financial crimes.