Pope Francis praised this Sunday (1st) the ceasefire reached in Lebanon between Israel and the armed group Hezbollah. In front of thousands of faithful in St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff prayed that the agreement would be respected by both sides and allow residents to return home.
The leader of the Catholic Church also called on Lebanese politicians to elect a new president. The Lebanese Parliament is the one who elects the president, but this has not happened since 2022, when the term of former president Michel Aoun expired. Since then, the country has been immersed in a serious political and economic crisis, and now, in the midst of a war between Hezbollah and Israel.
”I salute the , and I hope that it can be respected by all parties, thus allowing the population of the region involved in the conflict, both Lebanese and Israeli, to return home soon and safely with the precious help of the Lebanese army and the forces of United Nations peacekeeping. In view of this, I appeal to all Lebanese politicians, so that the President of the Republic is elected immediately, and the institutions find their normal functioning to continue with the necessary reforms and guarantee the country on the path of an example of peaceful coexistence between different religions”, said Francisco.
The Pope also and in Ukraine during the Angelus prayer.
