Pope Leo XIV’s plane landed at Rafic Hariri International Airport amid tight security and organizational measures, accompanied by the ringing of church bells. Two Lebanese army fighter jets escorted the papal aircraft as it entered Lebanese airspace—a gesture reflecting the highest levels of readiness and official respect for this historic visit.

At the airport, where a white tent was erected and the VIP hall prepared, the official and religious delegations lined up to welcome the Pope at a platform adorned with the flags of Lebanon and the Vatican.

Lebanon, known as the “Nation of the Message,” receives the Pope amid complex challenges: a crippling economic crisis, security concerns, existential anxieties affecting the country’s unique social fabric, as well as ongoing regional tensions and repeated Israeli airstrikes since the ceasefire agreement signed on November 27, 2024.

The Vatican described the visit as a “defining moment” that carries great hopes for the Lebanese and the peoples of the East, offering a renewed opportunity to reaffirm the values of dialogue and peace in a country that embraces religious and cultural pluralism.

Pope Leo will begin his program at the Presidential Palace, where he will meet with Lebanon’s three top leaders, before touring various regions and religious and humanitarian institutions.

Before his arrival, the Pope wrote, X: “Our steps move as if on a bridge between earth and heaven. Let us always fix our eyes on both banks so that we may love God and our brothers with all our hearts. We walk together and meet together, one day, all of us, in the Father’s house.”

Meanwhile, Lebanese and Vatican flags were seen lining the streets leading to the airport and the city center.