Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Four years after the catastrophic explosion that devastated the port of Beirut, resulting in approximately 220 deaths and over 6,000 injuries, Pope Francis has joined Lebanese families in urging an investigation into the deadly incident.

During a meeting with family members of victims of the August 4, 2020 explosion, the pope expressed his support for their demand for "truth and justice which have not yet arrived."

"All of us know that the issues are complex and difficult, and that opposing powers and interests make their influence felt. Yet truth and justice must prevail over all else," he stated on August 26.

The explosion occurred when around 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a combustible chemical commonly used as agricultural fertilizer, ignited in a Beirut port warehouse. The blast leveled significant portions of the Lebanese capital. An investigation initiated after the explosion has largely been hindered by government officials.

"Four years have gone by; the Lebanese people, and you above all, have a right to words and actions that manifest responsibility and transparency," Pope Francis told the families of those affected by the blast.

The meeting took place one day after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged airstrikes across the Israel-Lebanon border. The pope conveyed his sorrow over Lebanon’s involvement in ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.

"With you, I also feel the pain of witnessing once again the great number of innocent people daily losing their lives because of the war in your region, in Palestine and Israel, for which Lebanon is paying a price," he said. "Every war leaves our world worse than it was before. War is always a failure—a failure of politics, a failure of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil."

Pope Francis prayed for peace in the Middle East and called for Lebanon to remain "a project for peace."

Lebanon's "vocation," he noted, "is to be a land where diverse communities live together in concord, setting the common good above individual advantage—a land where different religions and confessions encounter one another in a spirit of fraternity."

The pope has frequently cited Lebanon as an example of religious pluralism. According to an independent study referenced by the U.S. State Department, Muslims constitute 67.8% of Lebanon's population (with Sunni and Shiite Muslims nearly equally represented), while Christians make up 32.4%, with Maronite Catholics being the largest Christian group followed by Greek Orthodox.

By convention, certain governmental roles are reserved for specific religious groups: typically, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian; the prime minister’s office is held by a Sunni Muslim; and the speaker of parliament is a Shiite Muslim.

Pope Francis thanked church members in Lebanon who continue to support its people. "You are not alone, and we will never abandon you," he assured blast victims' families. "We express our solidarity with you through prayer and concrete works of charity."