Pope prays at site of Beirut port blast at end of Lebanon visit

Pope Leo XIV demanded justice for the more than 200 victims of the disaster, at the end of his three-day visit to Lebanon.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationWatch DocumentariesTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthWatch DocumentariesNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LivePope prays at Beirut port blast site on last day of Lebanon visit23 hours agoShareSaveDavid GrittenShareSaveReutersPope Leo said he was "deeply moved" by his visit to the site of the Beirut port blastPope Leo XIV led a silent prayer at the site of the Beirut port explosion and demanded justice for its victims, as he wrapped up his three-day visit to Lebanon.

He also met some relatives of the 218 people who were killed by the massive blast on 4 August 2020, which devastated a large part of the capital.

Later, the Pope said he was "deeply moved" by his visit to the port and shared "the thirst for truth and justice, of so many families, of an entire country".

No-one has yet been held accountable for the disaster, which happened when a fire triggered the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsafely at a port warehouse for almost six years.

It is widely believed that officials and politicians were aware of the combustible chemical's existence and the danger it posed but that they failed to secure, remove or destroy it.