Overview
- The U.S.-born pontiff closed a three-day stay by leading an outdoor liturgy on Beirut’s waterfront that authorities and the Vatican said drew about 150,000 people.
- Before the service, he held a silent prayer at the port memorial, spoke with survivors and bereaved families, and urged truth and justice for the 2020 explosion.
- He visited the De La Croix psychiatric hospital run by nuns, highlighting care for vulnerable patients during a morning stop.
- In farewell remarks, he sent greetings to regions he could not visit, including the conflict-hit south, and appealed for attacks to stop and for dialogue to prevail.
- The visit capped his first foreign trip, with his calls underscoring Lebanon’s unresolved blast probe, deep economic strain and ongoing Israel–Hezbollah tensions.