Thousands of worshippers braved rain and cold on Monday to welcome Pope Leo XIV to the Monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya, where he visited the tomb of Saint Charbel. President Joseph Aoun and First Lady Nehmat Aoun joined the pilgrimage, greeting the pontiff on his arrival alongside senior clergy from the Lebanese Maronite Order.
Crowds packed the monastery courtyard, surrounding platforms and entrances, cheering and applauding as the Pope arrived. Pilgrims from Lebanon and abroad, including visitors who say they experienced healings through Saint Charbel’s intercession, filled the site from early morning. The Lebanese Army maintained tight security throughout the event.
Along the Jbeil–Annaya highway, hundreds more gathered near Saint George Church waving Lebanese and Vatican flags as the papal convoy passed.
After delivering an address, offering prayers, and exchanging gifts, Pope Leo XIV toured the monastery museum and blessed staff in the inner courtyard before taking a commemorative photo with monks. President Aoun then departed for Baabda Palace, while the First Lady continued to Harissa to join a gathering at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports court in Bangladesh sentenced British MP and former minister Tulip Siddiq to two years in jail in absentia on Monday over alleged corruption linked to the unlawful allocation of a plot of land, prosecutors said.
