البطريركية المارونية
Address of His Beatitude Cardinal Bechara Boutros Raï to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at Bkerké,
أخبار نشاط البطريرك
on the occasion of the encounter with the youth
Monday, December 1, 2025, at 5:45 p.m.
Most Holy Father,
In the name of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, and in the name of the youth of our country, we extend to Your Holiness our warmest and most heartfelt welcome. We greet you beneath the radiant light of that Gospel word which resounds as both a call and a promise: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Welcome to Lebanon – this land, small in its geography yet great in its vocation; a sacred soil where God willed that East and West might meet, where cultures and civilizations intertwine in a true Pentecost of faith, society, and identity. Welcome to the land of the cedars – those silent witnesses whose arms rise heavenward like psalms ascending from the earth toward the celestial heights.
Welcome to Bkerké – this venerable patriarchal seat, home of hope and beacon of faith, which throughout the centuries has remained the beating heart of the Church in the East. Today, Lebanon receives you not with the splendor of palaces, but with the tenderness of its wounds. It offers you what is purest in its soul: its tears transfigured into pearls of hope; its mountains become altars of supplication.
Your presence is a breath of the Spirit upon a weary people, a dawn breaking upon a nation still seeking its light. In your footsteps, we hear the echo of Christ walking upon our tested roads, still whispering to us: “Do not be afraid.”
From these heights of Bkerké, Your Holiness beholds a people who suffer, yet whom an unshakable faith renders steadfast; a youth longing for a future on its own soil, who now, with fervent trust, lifts to you a burning plea: speak to us, Holy Father, of that hope which does not disappoint – that pilgrim virtue which walks on, humble and resolute, through tempests and darkness alike.
Though the task be arduous, our young people aspire to build a new Lebanon – one that embraces its diverse religious and cultural identities and allows them to blossom in a spirit of fraternity and concord. They dream of a Lebanon where faith is not withdrawal but action; where pluralism is not a threat but a treasure; and where peace, at last, triumphs over fear.
Most Holy Father,
The world knows you by your face, radiant with gentleness; by that smile which illumines souls; by that word of truth springing from the depths of faith. You are the Pope of closeness, the Pope of listening and mercy, the Pope of peace – reminding the world that light is always stronger than darkness, and that the voice of the Church will ever be a voice of hope, not fear; of peace, not violence.
The youth of Lebanon love you, Most Holy Father. They await you with ardent hearts, yearning to hear from your lips a word of hope amid the trials they endure. In your words, they seek the clarity that dispels shadow, the strength that rekindles faith in a God who remains present in their tomorrows. From you, they wish to draw that truest courage – the courage to love still, to love always, despite wounds and disillusionment. They rejoice in your presence, for they recognize in you a father who listens and accompanies, and a voice calling them to stand firm in faith – triumph of meaning over absurdity; to persevere in hope – triumph of courage over desolation; and to commit themselves to goodness – triumph of peace over the culture of death.
Most Holy Father,
We express our profound gratitude for having graced our land with your presence on this first official visit of your blessed pontificate. This precious moment shall be forever inscribed in our collective memory. Thank you for looking upon us not with sorrow, but with confidence. Your words will be for us light and guidance; your blessing, the promise of a long-awaited renewal.
In the name of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, and in the name of the youth of Lebanon – this youth, wounded yet unyielding, resilient yet full of ardor – we say to you:
Welcome home, Holy Father!
Welcome to the house of faith, upon the land of the Cedar and the Cross, in the beating heart of your children.
Most Holy Father, thank you for your presence and your blessing.
