The Apostolic Vicar for Latin Rite Catholics in Lebanon said the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV will serve as a powerful moral intervention for a nation reeling from years of crisis.
“It is not just a simple institutional visit, but an important moment of consolation, truth, and awakening of conscience for Lebanon and the whole world,” said Bishop César Essayan, O.F.M.Conv., in a message to Fides News Agency.
He said the Lebanese people hope the trip will mark a “decisive turning point toward better times” after prolonged political paralysis, economic collapse, and widespread social distress.
Amid “profound disappointments and an unprecedented socio-economic crisis,” the bishop said citizens expect from the Pope not only comfort, but above all a resounding “cry for justice” that will be heard internationally.
Three symbolic stages
Bishop Essayan outlined the three symbolic moments of the visit, each carrying a distinct message for a country still recovering from national trauma.
The Pope’s prayer at the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf in the Monastery of San Maroun will serve as “a moment of prayer and a search for inner peace for the entire nation,” he said.
The Holy Father’s stop at a psychiatric hospital is, according to the bishop, “a symbolic choice to encounter the marginalized and suffering, thus bearing witness to the Church’s particular attention to the most vulnerable and to the often invisible wounds of society.”
Pope Leo XIV will also lead a prayer at the Port of Beirut, the site of the devastating Aug. 4, 2020 explosion. Bishop Essayan said the location “will be the scene of a solemn and unequivocal appeal for justice and truth, giving a voice to the families of the victims and to the entire population demanding answers.”
A pastoral leader shaped by crisis
A Conventual Franciscan, Bishop Essayan was born in 1962 in Saida to an Armenian family and has led the Apostolic Vicariate for Latin Rite Catholics in Lebanon since 2016.
His ministry has unfolded during years marked by the port explosion, economic freefall, and new waves of displaced persons.
Throughout these crises, he has become a consistent advocate for vulnerable families, repeatedly urging both Lebanese political leaders and the international community to assume their responsibilities.
