ACI MENA, Nov 23, 2025 / 09:00 am

Anticipation is building across Lebanon as the country prepares to welcome Pope Leo XIV next week. The visit is not without precedent, however. Lebanon has received two other popes in recent history — John Paul II in 1997 and Benedict XVI in 2012. Both trips are remembered as milestones in a nation marked by conflict and resilience.

As preparations intensify, many of those who witnessed previous papal visits are reflecting on their impact and the memories they carry — memories that shape expectations for what Pope Leo’s visit may bring.

Remembering John Paul II in Lebanon

Pope John Paul II arrived in Lebanon in May 1997, carrying the apostolic exhortation “A New Hope for Lebanon.” Robert El Haybe, who was 33 at the time, shared with ACI MENA, CNA’s Ara

See Full Page