Pope Leo XIV speaks to patients and caregivers at the De La Croix Hospital in Jal el Dib, Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media
Jal el Dib, Lebanon, Dec 2, 2025 / 02:07 am (CNA).
PopeLeoXIVtoldhospitalpatientsandcaregiversinLebanonthathehadcometo“whereJesusdwells,”addingthatChristispresent“inyouwhoareill,andinyouwhocarefortheailing.”HedeliveredthemessageduringaTuesdaymorningvisittoDeLaCroixHospitalinJalelDib,oneofthefinalstopsofhistriptoLebanonasthecountrycontinuestostrugglewiththewoundsofconflictandeconomiccollapse.
TheHolyFatheraddressedstaff,patients,andtheFranciscanSistersoftheCrosswhooperatetheinstitution.Pointingtothehospital’sfounder,BlessedYaaqubEl-Haddad,PopeLeodescribedhimasa“tirelessapostleofcharity”whosedevotiontothesufferingshapedtheinstitution’sidentity.
“YourpresenceisatangiblesignofthemercifulloveofChrist,”Leotoldthehealthcareworkers,comparingtheirservicetothegoodSamaritanwhostoppedforthewoundedman.Heurgedthemnottoloseheartwhenfatigueordiscouragementtakehold.“Keepbeforeyour
