Footage from inside the airport showed the ongoing preparations inside the large tent designated to receive the Pope, including the main platform from which the Pontiff, accompanied by the President of the Republic “Joseph Aoun,” will move on the red carpet to the VIP lounge.
In parallel with the field preparations, the presidential motorcade is heading to the airport to meet the Pope, while logistical arrangements continue, which included decorating the VIP building and the reception platform with the “Narcissus” flower, which symbolizes hope and renewal, in addition to olive trees, extending the red carpet, and setting up large tents to accommodate the large numbers of Lebanese and foreign media.
The Pope’s visit to Lebanon comes as the second stop on his first foreign trip since taking office, after the Turkey stop, which included spiritual meetings and ecumenical dialogues, in addition to visiting the “Blue Mosque” in Istanbul and signing a joint declaration with the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The Pope carries a message of peace to the Middle East in light of the increasing tensions in the region, especially after the “recent Israeli air strikes on Beirut,” and he is expected to receive a grand popular reception upon his arrival.
