On Thursday morning, April 22, the Holy Father met in private audience with the Prime Minister-designate of Lebanon, Saad Hariri. This was confirmed by the Holy See Press Office, through its director, Matteo Bruni.
During the talks, which lasted about thirty minutes, Pope Francis wished to reiterate his closeness to the Lebanese people, who are experiencing a time of great difficulty and uncertainty, and recalled the responsibility of all political forces to commit themselves urgently for the benefit of the nation.
Reaffirming his desire to visit the country of the cedars as soon as the conditions are right, Pope Francis expressed his wish that Lebanon, with the help of the international community, will once again embody "the strength of the cedars, the diversity that from weakness becomes strength in the great reconciled people", with its vocation to be a land of encounter, coexistence and pluralism.
