Pope urges Lebanese to preserve peace, religious harmony
(September 17, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI wrapped up a 3-day pastoral visit to Lebanon,
Sunday evening, urging its citizens to nurture and guard its wonderful communion of
plurality of religious traditions against those who want to sow disunity. The Pope
visited the Middle East country, September 14-16, to sign and present to the Churches
of the Middle East his Apostolic Exhortation based on the Synod of Bishops for the
Middle East held in the Vatican in 2010. Bidding farewell to Lebanese President
Michel Suleiman, the patriarchs, bishops, civil authorities, faithful and children
at Beirut’s Rafiq Harriri International airport, the Pope thanked the Lebanese people
who he said, “form a beautiful and rich mosaic and who have shown the successor of
Peter their enthusiasm by the efforts, both general and specific, of each community.
“In these troubled times, the Arab world and indeed the entire world will have seen
Christians and Muslims united in celebrating peace, the Pope said. “I thank in particular
representatives of the Muslim communities,” the Pope said, adding their presence has
greatly contributed to the success of his visit. While thanking the Lebanese
people for their warmth and affection, which he described as “one of those renowned
oriental spices which enriches the taste of food,” the Pope wished that the nation
may “continue to be a place where men and women can live in harmony and peace with
each other, in order to give the world not only a witness to the presence of God,”
which was the primary theme of the 2010 Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, “but
also a witness to the communion between people, the second theme of the Synod, whatever
their political, social, or religious standpoint. The Pope prayed that Lebanon may
live in peace and courageously resist all that could destroy or undermine that peace.
He hoped the nation will continue to permit the plurality of religious traditions
and not listen to the voices of those who wish to prevent it. He hoped that Lebanon
will fortify the communion among all her inhabitants, whatever their community or
religion, that she will resolutely reject all that could lead to disunity, and with
determination choose brotherhood. As if to underline the point, Pope Benedict
then received a warm goodbye from all the representatives of Lebanon’s religions,
including the leaders of the most significant branches of the Islamic faith. The
Pope departed on his specially chartered papal plane back to Rome.