ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV has acknowledged receiving a message from Hezbollah, explaining that the Holy See works discreetly to promote disarmament and dialogue in the Middle East.
Aboard the Beirut–Rome flight Wednesday, Pope Leo met with 81 journalists and publicly confirmed that he had received a message from Hezbollah prior to his visit to Lebanon. Questioned by Sky News Arabia, the Pontiff explained that the Holy See maintains contacts with various political and religious actors in the Middle East to encourage them to lay down their arms and begin negotiation processes.
He added that the Holy See operates discreetly through its own diplomatic network, with the aim of fostering stable peace and genuine dialogue in the region.
“Yes, I saw it,” Leo XIV said regarding the message from Hezbollah. “Clearly, the Church proposes that they lay down their weapons and that we seek dialogue. But beyond that, I prefer not to comment at this moment.”
The in-flight conversation offered a broad overview of the diplomatic action carried out by the Pontiff, who emphasized that the Lebanese mission was born primarily from ecclesial intentions, linked to ecumenism and the search for unity between Catholics and Orthodox, in the wake of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
However, faced with the political complexity of the region, Leo XIV chose to meet representatives of various groups, including Shiite figures, and to use the trip as an opportunity to increase quiet mediation efforts.
READ: Pope Leo urges Christians to ‘be less fearful’ of Islam, encourages ‘dialogue’ with Muslims
In response to a question by Joe Farchakh (LBC International) about the role of the United States and the Pope’s personal contacts with figures such as Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Pontiff explained his vision as follows:
“I think that a sustainable peace is possible. I have already had some conversations with some of the leaders of the countries you mentioned, and I intend to continue doing so, personally or through the Holy See.”
His answer confirmed a direct commitment both toward Lebanon and toward the states involved in nearby conflicts, with an explicit reference to Europe’s responsibility in negotiations concerning the war in Ukraine and to the possible relevance of Italy.
Although the Pope did not wish to reveal the content of the message he received from Hezbollah, the simple confirmation of its existence constitutes a diplomatically significant element. It shows, in fact, that the Shiite movement considers the Holy See a party worth addressing, even while knowing that the Pope clearly proposes disarmament and the relinquishment of every form of violence.
The Pope stressed that the Holy See’s efforts do not take shape in public statements or media initiatives: “Our work is mainly not something public that we proclaim in the streets; it is somewhat behind the scenes.”
Leo XIV’s trip to Lebanon took place at a delicate moment for the region, marked by tensions along the border between Israel and Hezbollah, by an internal economic crisis afflicting Beirut since 2019, and by a geopolitical context made more fragile by the war in Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.
For decades the Holy See has maintained an active presence in the Middle East, both through local churches and through a diplomatic network that, beginning in the mid-20th century, has intensified its role in mediation between states and non-state groups. Lebanon, in particular, has represented for Rome a laboratory of religious and political coexistence that the Church has considered precious since the time of Pius XI and Pius XII. However, during his first apostolic journey Pope Leo has pointed to Turkey, not Lebanon, as the “model of coexistence among religions.”