Posters welcoming ‘late Pope Francis’ to Lebanon cause buzz

ALBAWABA - Lebanon is set to welcome the Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV today in Beirut as he is expected to arrive in Lebanon at 3:45 p.m. local time, Lebanese media reported.

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Before being in Lebanon, Pope Leo landed in Turkey, where he was welcomed by Turkish officials, including Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and senior church leaders. The Pope was also received at the Presidential Palace in Ankara by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Today, November 30, Pope Leo XIV will arrive in Lebanon.

^{Poster for Pope Francis in Lebanon. (X)}

Posters welcoming ‘late Pope Francis’ to Lebanon cause buzz:

Lebanese activists flooded social media with dozens of posts mocking several posters to welcome the pope that were placed across many streets in Lebanon, but why?

Sheikh Abu Ali Haidar Zaaiter created posters to welcome Pope Leo in Lebanon; however, accidentally, his team added photos of Pope Francis, who died in April 2025.

Dozens of comments were made online with people joking about welcoming a dead Pope to Lebanon. One said, "Intention matters, even if the Pope is dead. Thanks to Sheikh Abu Ali Haidar Zaaiter."

Another wrote, "Sheikh Abu Ali Haidar Zaaiter welcomes Pope Francis's visit to Lebanon."

^{Poster for Pope Francis in Lebanon. (X)}