Vatican Confirms Pope Leo XIV’s December Visit to Lebanon

By Staff, Agencies

Monsignor Abdo Abou Kassem, head of the Lebanese Catholic Media Center, confirmed on Monday that Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon in early December remains fully on schedule.

He dismissed reports of a possible cancellation as “entirely baseless,” noting that the itinerary is unchanged and preparations are complete to receive “the distinguished guest.”

According to the official program, the Pope will arrive in Beirut on November 30, 2025, and remain until December 2.

His visit begins with a reception at Rafic Hariri International Airport, followed by meetings with Lebanon’s top officials—the President, Speaker of Parliament, and Prime Minister—as well as civil society representatives and the diplomatic corps.

Pope Leo XIV is also set to visit key religious and national sites, including the tomb of Saint Charbel in Annaya, the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harisa for a gathering with clergy, and Martyrs’ Square for an interfaith event.

His itinerary includes a major Mass at the Beirut waterfront and a moment of silent prayer at the site of the 2020 port explosion.

The reaffirmation of the visit comes a day after an “Israeli” attack on Beirut’s southern suburb, Haret Hreik, which resulted in the martyrdom of senior Hezbollah commander Haitham Ali Al-Tabatabai and several companions.