Middle East Focus Soft Power in Hard Times: Pope Leo XIV's Visit to Lebanon
Dec 4, 2025
Fadi Nicholas Nassar, a Lebanon expert and Senior Fellow at MEI, shares his insights on Pope Leo XIV's pivotal visit to Lebanon. He vividly recounts the atmosphere during the papal mass and highlights the Pope's outreach to marginalized groups. Nassar explores whether spiritual leadership can fill the void left by political failures and discusses the importance of the Pope's messages on peace and youth engagement. The conversation also touches on the delicate situation post-visit, as tensions rise and the need for political accountability looms large.
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Feeling Seen In A Crowded Mass
- Fadi Nicholas Nasser stood far back among ~150,000 people and felt the Pope’s gaze make the crowd feel seen.
- That moment highlighted how many Lebanese feel invisible to their leaders and the international community.
Spotlight On The Unseen Forces Pressure
- The Pope spotlighted institutions caring for the forgotten, like a psychiatric home and blast survivors, to symbolize national attention.
- That acted as moral pressure for accountability beyond curated government messaging.
Peace As Work, Not Slogan
- Pope Leo framed peace as hard work requiring mindset shifts and courageous leadership, not empty slogans.
- That message resonated because Lebanon’s immediate threat is state credibility, not sectarian civil war.
