Hezbollah Honors Pope Leo XIV With Message of Peace and Solidarity

Translated by Al-Ahed News, Hezbollah Media Relations 

Hezbollah’s Message to His Holiness, the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV:

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Your Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, with all due respect,

Greetings and salutations,

First, we convey our heartfelt welcome and deep appreciation for your presence and for the visit you have dedicated to Lebanon —a beautiful country blessed by God with a unique geographic location and a well-ordered sectarian diversity, within a framework of shared life and broad consensus, which are essential for the stability of its political system and national security.

Your predecessor, Pope John Paul II, described Lebanon not merely as a homeland but as a message. Indeed, Lebanon’s diverse composition represents a civilizational bridge between followers of the two divine religions, Christianity and Islam, and between adherents of religious, cultural, and secular orientations across all nations and continents.

When humanity is the focus of concern for all religions and even secular ideologies, one can hope and be optimistic about the possibility of achieving lasting peace and security.

Reading your guidance and messages, which clearly emphasize human rights and the necessity of their respect and protection, it is evident that these rights extend beyond the individual sphere to encompass entire peoples.

The conflicts the world witnesses today stem fundamentally from the failure of some to recognize or uphold the rights of others, whether due to differences in religion, color, ethnicity, language, or vested interests.

It is clear that the erosion of respect for human rights, whether by leaders, entities, parties, sects, states, or organizations, feeds tendencies of greed, domination, authoritarianism, and resorting to force instead of justice.

The tragedy witnessed in Gaza in the occupied Palestine over the past two years, and continuing today, results from the “Israeli” occupiers’ persistent denial of the Palestinian people’s rights to their land, homeland, and self-determination, and from the international system’s refusal to apply justice and fairness to achieve a sustainable resolution to the conflict in our region, between the rightful owners of the land and the occupying aggressors.

Similarly, the suffering of the Lebanese people due to the “Israeli” occupation of part of their land, its ongoing assaults, and threats to their security and stability, driven by greed to control their water, land, and gas resources and impose submission to its endless political, security, and expansionist conditions, is undeniable.

It is regrettable that the “Israeli” occupation enjoys unlimited support from major powers that share its greed and domination over our country and region, without regard for the rights of our people and the peoples of the region.

What the “Israeli” enemy has done in Gaza against the Palestinian people constitutes a crime of genocide; what it continues to do in Lebanon is an ongoing aggression that is rejected and condemned.

We in Hezbollah take this opportunity of your blessed visit to Lebanon to reaffirm our commitment to peaceful coexistence, consensual democracy, the preservation of internal security and stability, and to safeguarding our national sovereignty by standing with our army and people against any aggression or occupation of our land and country.

We also assert our legitimate right to reject foreign interference that seeks to impose guardianship over our country and people, undermining our national decision-making and constitutional authorities.

As our faith affirms that the followers of Jesus Christ, son of Mary, are messengers of love, protection of rights, and respect for humanity, we rely on your Holiness’s stances in rejecting the injustice and aggression inflicted on our homeland, Lebanon, by the Zionist invaders and their supporters.

This is what we convey to you during your visit, which expresses your concern, love, and cooperation toward all Lebanese, wishing you safety and peace, and praying to God Almighty to grant justice, security, and relief to the oppressed worldwide.

With warmest wishes