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HOLY MASS CONCLUDES POPE LEONE XIV'S TRIP TO LEBANON
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02 December 2025
Jal el Dib. De la Croix Hospital. 2 December 2025. 9 a.m. The Holy Father arrives at the main entrance of the Congregation's residence by car. The nuns run to meet him and one throws her arms around his neck. Sister Marie, together with the hospital director, Sister Rose Hanna, and the superior of the convent, Sister Hiam El Badawi, accompany the Pope to the theatre, where he is given a festive welcome: the hall resounds with zaghroutah, the shouts typical of Middle Eastern women, a sign of happiness and great celebration.
Sister Marie thanks the Pontiff for his presence, which confirms God's love for the poorest of the poor, the most abandoned and the most suffering; then she recalls the founder Abouna Yakub, who said: "My religion is Lebanon and the suffering". Finally, she thanks the Holy Father once again for being "the 'father' of the forgotten, the abandoned and the marginalised".
The Holy Father receives 77 handmade rosaries from the patients as a gift, then listens to their testimonies and is moved.
"I am happy to meet you, it was my wish, because Jesus lives here: both in you who are sick and in you who care for you, the nuns, doctors, all the healthcare workers and staff", he began in French, assuring them that all the people of the Lebanese hospital are in his heart and in his prayers. The Pope also recalls the holiness of the founder's life and his testimony carried on by the Franciscan sisters.
Port of Beirut. 2 December 2025. 9.30 a.m. After the emotions of the Hospital de la Croix, we find ourselves among the rubble of the port of Beirut, where on 4 August 2020 a terrible explosion caused more than two hundred deaths, seven thousand injuries and more than three hundred thousand displaced persons, shocking Lebanon and the whole world.
Here, the Pope comes to bring comfort to a pain caused by a wound that is still open for everyone.
The Pope prays before the marble monument that bears the names of the dead, one by one. He lays a wreath and greets the survivors and the families of the victims. Everyone is holding photographs of their missing relatives. The emotion is strong. The Pope greets the families of those who lost their lives one by one, a simple gesture but one full of human closeness: he kneels in front of a child and takes the photo of his father that the little boy is holding in his hands. A mother embraces him. It is a moment of deep emotion that marks one of the most symbolically powerful moments of the Holy Father's trip to Lebanon.
Beirut Waterfront. 2 December 2025. 10.30 a.m. The impact is powerful. Thousands of people fill the esplanade overlooking the sea. The altar is housed in a large white covered structure and the Pope is surrounded by many words of “Peace” in the main languages surrounding the larger inscription “Blessed are the peacemakers”: the theme of this first Apostolic Journey.
After the celebration, Pope Leone XIV addressed this final greeting to the crowd:
“Dear brothers and sisters, during these days, with my first Apostolic Journey undertaken during the Jubilee Year, I wanted to be a pilgrim of hope in the Middle East, imploring God for the gift of peace for this beloved land, marked by instability, wars and pain.
Dear Christians of the Levant, when the results of your efforts for peace are slow in coming, I invite you to lift your gaze to the Lord who is coming! Let us look to him with hope and courage, inviting everyone to set out on the path of coexistence, fraternity and peace. Be builders of peace, heralds of peace, witnesses of peace!...".
THE CLERGY AND YOUNG PEOPLE MEET POPE LEONE XIV
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01 December 2025
Harissa. 1 December 2025. 11:30 a.m. The Pope is captivated by the atmosphere and beauty of the Shrine, which he does not hide even when he greets those present by saying ‘Good morning’ in Arabic:
"Dear brothers in the Episcopate, priests, men and women religious, brothers and sisters, good morning! Good morning! It is with great joy that I meet you during this journey, whose motto is “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5:9). The Church in Lebanon, united in its many faces, is an icon of these words, as St John Paul II, who was so fond of your people, said."
There are many friends in the Shrine whom we are finally able to greet. Among them is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who is surprised to see us on this occasion and moved by the welcome given to the Pope.
Beirut. Martyrs' Square. 1 December 2025. 4 p.m. We take our seats at the back, from where we have a striking view of the mosque in the background. The setting is spectacular: the central base with the word ‘Peace’ written in several languages, the olive tree and other details symbolising peace.
After greeting the representatives of the various religious denominations, Pope Leone XIV addresses the participants in the meeting with these words:
“Dear brothers and sisters, I am deeply moved and immensely grateful to be among you today, in this blessed land: a land exalted by the prophets of the Old Testament, who contemplated in its imposing cedars emblems of the righteous soul that flourishes under the watchful gaze of heaven...”.
Bkerké. 1 December 2025. 5.45 p.m. The Pope arrives dazed by his previous meetings but is immediately “nourished” by the “positive wave of young people” who caress him with sounds, shouts and invocations.
After listening to songs and watching dances, and after a few speeches by representatives of the young people, Pope Leone XIV reads his greeting:
“Assalamu lakum! (Peace be with you). Dear young people of Lebanon, assalamu lakum!
This is the greeting of the risen Jesus (cf. Jn 20:19) and it sustains the joy of our meeting: the enthusiasm we feel in our hearts expresses the loving closeness of God, who brings us together as brothers and sisters to share our faith in Him and our communion with one another... Let us look at the wonderful examples left to us by the saints! Let us think of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, two young people who were canonised in this Holy Year of Jubilee. Let us look at the many Lebanese saints. What singular beauty is evident in the life of Saint Rafqa, who with strength and gentleness endured years of suffering from illness! How many acts of compassion were performed by Blessed Yakub El-Haddad, helping those most abandoned and forgotten by everyone! What a powerful light comes from the darkness into which Saint Charbel decided to withdraw, he who has become one of the symbols of Lebanon in the world! His eyes are always depicted as closed, as if to hold back an infinitely greater mystery. Through the eyes of Saint Charbel, closed in order to see God better, we continue to perceive God's light more clearly. The song dedicated to him is beautiful: "O thou who sleepest, and thy eyes are light unto ours, upon thy eyelids a grain of incense hath blossomed".
POPE LEONE XIV VISITS THE TOMB OF SAINT CHARBEL MAKLOUF
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01 December 2025
A delegation from the "United States of the World" and the "Fondazione Mediterraneo" participates in Pope Leone XIV's visit to this monastery, where the tomb of Saint Charbel Maklouf is located.
Heavy rain does not prevent thousands of people from crowding the roadsides and the area in front of the Monastery of Saint Maroun: a little girl in her mother's arms, holding an image of Saint Charbel in her small hands, is a touching sight.
Shouts and cries spread across the square in front of the monastery upon the Pope's arrival. He is immediately welcomed by Father Abbot Hady Mahfouz, Superior General of the Lebanese Maronite Order.
The Holy Father quickly visits the monastery and heads to the caves where the tomb of Saint Charbel is located.
After the Pope's prayer before the tomb of the holy hermit, the Father Abbot gives a greeting, saying, among other things:
"Grace upon grace: the grace of Saint Charbel, whose intercession continues to enlighten souls and spread the wonders of Heaven throughout the world; the grace of the presence of the Pope who has come to this sanctuary of silence and light to pray before the tomb of this humble hermit who was ardent with love. I welcome His Holiness and ask him to receive, on behalf of the whole Order, the assurance of our unconditional obedience, our constant prayers and our most devoted filial sentiments."
Pope Leone XIV addresses those present – including Cardinal Pietro Parolin in the front row – saying:
“Dear brothers and sisters! I thank the Superior General for his words and for welcoming us to this beautiful Monastery of Annaya. The nature surrounding this house of prayer also attracts us with its austere beauty. I give thanks to God for allowing me to come as a pilgrim to the tomb of Saint Charbel. My predecessors – I think especially of Saint Paul VI, who beatified and canonised him – would have greatly desired this."
The Pope uses a sober and essential style in his speech. It is precisely this difference that brings out the substance. The Holy Father does not present Charbel as a postcard miracle worker, but shows him as a teacher of what our world rejects: prayer, silence, modesty, poverty. Four words that cut like a living stone and speak to a Church often distracted by the superfluous.
"This visit fits into history like a stone that fits perfectly,’ says Secretary-General Michele Capasso, a devotee of Saint Charbel, "but Lebanon remains a fragile crossroads, and for this very reason it is the place where faith shows its most authentic face. Here, the Pope is not engaging in diplomacy but simply reminding the world that peace does not come from meetings but from reconciled hearts. This place gives us a clear image today: holiness does not go out of fashion and continues to shine when everything else falters. And if we want the flame lit by this stage not to go out, it is worth doing what the Pope suggested without proclamation: returning to prayer, silence and evangelical poverty. These are the only paths that truly lead to the light."
STUDENTS FROM THE STATE MIDDLE SCHOOL OF SANT'ANASTASIA VISIT THE MUSEUM OF PEACE
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01 December 2025
Accompanied by their teachers, students from the State Middle School of Sant'Anastasia (Naples) visited the Museum of Peace and the headquarters of the United States of the World.
Welcomed by Secretary-General Michele Capasso, the students expressed their appreciation for the emotional journey, declaring that they had "an extraordinary experience that will remain etched in their hearts for the rest of their lives".
PRESIDENT MATTARELLA IN POMPEI
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29 November 2025
The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, visited the ruins of Pompeii: accompanied by his daughter Laura, he took a private tour of the archaeological site this morning, guided by director Gabriel Zuchtriegel. During the visit, he met and shook hands with Maurizio Patriciello.
AT THE BLUE MOSQUE WITH POPE LEONE XIV: THE MEETING WITH BARTHOLOMEW I
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29 November 2025
The Pope arrived punctually shortly after 9 a.m. at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, one of the most symbolic places in Istanbul, staying for about fifteen minutes. A visit experienced "with deep respect for the place and the faith of those who gather there in prayer". Accompanying the pontiff were the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ersoy, the Mufti of Istanbul Tuncel, Imam Fatih Kaya and some members of the "United States of the World".
Barefoot, with his hands at his sides and his head turned upwards - looking at the 21,043 turquoise ceramic tiles - Pope Leone XIV entered the so-called "Blue Mosque", one of the most symbolic and evocative monuments of the Turkish metropolis, previously visited by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 and Pope Francis in 2014.
The papal entourage also included Cardinals Kurt Koch and George Koovakad, respectively prefects of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Everyone paused for a long time in front of the muḥazīn pulpit, with Aşkın Tunca explaining the architecture and function of this space from which the faithful are called to prayer. The Pope then passed in front of the "Mihrab", the marble niche that indicates the direction of Mecca, which also contains a Sura – number 19 – that refers to the Virgin Mary. He continued his tour, looking several times at the dome and the ceiling, which is over 23 metres high.
At this moment, we recalled other visits to this Mosque.
In the afternoon, at 4 p.m., in the Patriarchal Palace, an important act in the path of interreligious dialogue took place: Pope Leo XIV met with Patriarch Bartholomew I and together they signed a joint declaration on the theme of peace and dialogue.
Pope Leo XIV's day ended with the celebration of Holy Mass in the Volkswagen Arena: thousands of people attended the event and we sat in the front rows, aware of the moment we were experiencing. In his homily, the Pope said, among other things:
“Dear brothers and sisters, we celebrate this Holy Mass on the eve of the day when the Church commemorates Saint Andrew, Apostle and Patron Saint of this land. At the same time, we begin Advent, preparing ourselves to relive, at Christmas, the mystery of Jesus, Son of God, “begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father” (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed), as the Fathers gathered at the Council of Nicaea solemnly declared 1,700 years ago. In this context, the Liturgy offers us, in the first reading (cf. Is 2:1-5), one of the most beautiful pages of the book of the prophet Isaiah, where the invitation to all peoples to ascend the mountain of the Lord (cf. v. 3), a place of light and peace, resounds. I would therefore like us to meditate on our being Church, focusing on some of the images contained in this text. The first is that of the “mountain exalted above the mountains” (cf. Is 2:2). It reminds us that the fruits of God's action...”.
GERALD LEON CANNON AND ELISABETTA SERIO PLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF PEACE
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28 November 2025
During bassist Gerald Leon Cannon and his wife Minnie's visit to the Museum of Peace and the “Pino Daniele Alive” section, using Rino Zurzolo's bass guitar donated to the museum by his wife Valentina, the great American musician performed several songs – including Pino Daniele's “Quando” – with Elisabetta Serio, Pino's long-time pianist.
"The video and photos by Riccardo Piccirillo are splendid", said President Michele Capasso, who welcomed the guests.
GERALD LEON CANNON RECEIVES THE BOOKS "BOSNIA" AND "RAFFAELE, IL SINDACO"
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28 November 2025
On the occasion of bassist Gerald Leon Cannon and his wife Minnie's visit to the Museum of Peace, President Michele Capasso presented them with copies of his books "Bosnia" and "Raffaele, il sindaco".
The great American musician was moved by the story of the mayor who rebuilt San Sebastiano al Vesuvio after the destruction caused by the eruption of Vesuvius on 19 March 1944.
POPE LEONE XIV IN ISTANBUL AND IZNIK
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28 November 2025
The first meeting with Pope Leone XIV takes place early in the morning in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. We take our places in the right aisle of the Catholic cathedral, seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul.
The Holy Father is excited and moved by the warm welcome and embraces the nuns and bishops with great enthusiasm.
This trip is ‘unusual’ for us because, not following the Pope's official delegation, we have to anticipate the next stages. We therefore leave the cathedral and head for the home for the elderly run by the ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’, where the second stage of the day takes place.
'Dear sisters and brothers, good morning! I sincerely thank you for Sister's words of welcome and for the welcome shown by all of you. Hospitality is the gift of this home! A gift that comes from God and is made fruitful by the Little Sisters of the Poor, the staff and benefactors, and also by all the guests, in their daily life together. Thank you all!'
With these words, the Pope embraces the community of elderly people, the faithful and the Little Sisters of the Poor present in the chapel of the shelter.
Before concluding, we drive to Iznik-Nicaea: the most important stop of the day.
İznik. 12 noon. We arrive in this small town after a two-hour journey and numerous checkpoints set up to ensure the safety of the papal visit, which coincides with the 1700th anniversary of the first council, with an ecumenical prayer meeting scheduled to take place near the archaeological excavations of the ancient basilica of St Neophytos.
About 300 bishops participated in the First Council of Nicaea to resolve the problems raised by Arianism. They arrived at a declaration of faith, which was given the name Nicene Creed, recognising the consubstantiality between the Father and the Son and condemning Arius.
We are standing on the platform near the remains of the basilica where the Pope has arrived. After the ecumenical prayer and the speech by Patriarch Bartholomew, Leo XIV reads his speech:
“Dear brothers and sisters! In a time that is dramatic in many ways, in which people are subjected to countless threats to their very dignity, the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea is a precious opportunity to ask ourselves who Jesus Christ is in the lives of women and men today, who he is for each of us... I am deeply grateful to His Holiness Bartholomew, who, with great wisdom and foresight, decided to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea together in the very place where it was celebrated; and I warmly thank the Heads of Churches and Representatives of World Christian Communions who accepted the invitation to participate in this event. May God the Father, almighty and merciful, hear the fervent prayer we offer him today and grant that this important anniversary may bear abundant fruit of reconciliation, unity and peace.
POPE LEONE XIV'S JOURNEY TO TURKEY BEGINS
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27 November 2025
A delegation from the "United States of the World" and the "Fondazione Mediterraneo" accompanied Pope Leone XIV on his first Apostolic Journey to Turkey and Lebanon.
During the flight taking Pope Leo XIV to Ankara, the first stop on his first Apostolic Journey, there was great excitement among journalists who greeted the Pontiff and took selfies with him. The Pope visited the captain of the aircraft and received various gifts, including a baseball bat.
At 12.30 pm, Pope Leo XIV arrives in the Turkish capital. We await him in delegation at the Atatürk Mausoleum, where the Holy Father is welcomed by the Turkish authorities.
After a group photo with the delegation, Pope Leo XIV heads to the Misak-ı Millî Tower to sign the “Book of Honour”; he then pays a brief visit to the museum dedicated to Atatürk and the history of the Republic.
At 2:00 p.m., the Holy Father travels by car to the Presidential Palace where, upon arrival, he is escorted by the traditional Turkish cavalry to the main entrance gate: a gesture of great impact with dozens of horsemen symbolising Turkish hospitality and traditions; those at the front of the line carry the flags of Turkey and Vatican City.
The Pope is welcomed by President Erdoğan and together they proceed to the podium.
After the national anthems, 21 cannon shots, the honouring of the flags, the Guard of Honour, the presentation of the respective delegations and the official photo at the entrance to the Presidential Palace, the President and the Pope take the lift to the second floor of the Presidential Palace for a group photo with the Turkish delegation and the Vatican delegation. They then moved to the President's Office for a private meeting, the presentation of the family and a photo with the family.
Immediately afterwards, the text of President Erdoğan's address to the Pope was distributed, and we find many points that repeat what Erdoğan himself had said during his visit to Naples in 2005 at the headquarters of the “United States of the World” and in other subsequent meetings with us, as if time had not passed and the problems had remained crystallised in history.
At 3:45 p.m., the Pope arrives at the Nation's Library (National Library) where he meets with authorities, civil society, the diplomatic corps and representatives of international institutions, such as the “United States of the World”.
The meeting takes place in the central hall, dominated by a large blue globe: looking at it while the Pope delivers his speech, one gets the impression of a connection with our "House for Peace", even if only as an idea, since our project is much more complex and stands out for its adherence to the values of peace and protection of the planet, as described in the previous chapter 23. In the front row are Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, current Prefect of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches of the Holy See.