Pope Benedict XVI en route to Lebanon

Pope Benedict XVI travels to Beirut Friday morning, for a three day pilgrimage in which he will deliver his post-Synodal Exhortation to the bishops of the entire Mideast region, meet with civil leaders, young people, Christian faithful and pastors of all the Churches and ecclesial communities, and leaders of the other religious traditions that form the rich tapestry of Lebanese society. Tracey McClure is in Beirut, and sent us a preview. Listen:
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Citizens of Beirut seem to be going about business as usual amidst heightened security in a country where soldiers and tanks are part of the everyday scenery. But excitement and expectations among Christians and Muslims alike are high for this papal visit.
But just why is the Pope coming here? To put it very simply, it’s to present to the Church here a very Catholic thing – something called the Apostolic Exhortation – which the Pope has drawn up in the form of conclusions and a series of suggestions on how the Catholic Church in the Middle East can bring about improvements within its life and structure, its relations with Christians of other churches and with non-Christians.
The Pope didn’t come up with these strategies by himself – the Middle East’s Catholic bishops gathered in a special Synod for their region back in 2010 (their first collective synod ever) to discuss the needs and concerns of their Churches. Once they have the exhortation, which the Pope will sign over to them Friday evening, it will be time for them to strategize about ways to achieve the goals that they and the Pope have laid out.
But why Lebanon? That’s simple too. The late Pope John Paul II loved this nation, calling it “more than a country” it’s “a message” of pluralism and coexistence where people of every faith are welcome – a land where 18 different sects live if not always in harmony, then with a fair amount of commitment to working things out. The same pluralism is also reflected in Lebanon’s government: all the main religious sects are represented in the running of the country and all enjoy similar rights.
The Pope is visiting Lebanon too because it is a country that has suffered dramatically from war and violence - the same we are seeing so worryingly repeated in one country here after another. Pope Benedict has taken to heart his predecessor’s dream that Lebanon will be not just the land of cedars but the land of the olive branches offered in friendship to all in the Middle East and beyond.
Over these three days, pope benedict will meet with Catholic patriarchs and bishops, leaders of other Christian churches and leaders of other faiths explaining why he’s here and how he and his Church want to be part of the solution to the region’s problems to build together a brighter future in peace, brotherhood, and justice.