Francis is now making an urgent appeal to all Lebanese politicians "so that a president of the republic is elected without delay and the institutions return to their normal function in order to carry out the necessary reforms and guarantee the country's role as an example of peaceful coexistence between the different religions".

In this context, Francis expressed his hope that this "glimmer of peace" could lead to a ceasefire on all other fronts. The release of the Israeli hostages and access to humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population are particularly close to his heart.

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Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's equivalent of a foreign minister, said June 25 that he believes that the Holy See can make a positive contribution to Lebanon's economic and political crisis.

"The Holy See is deeply concerned about the collapse of the country economically, financially, socially, which would particularly affect the Christian community and the identity of Lebanon," Gallagher told journalists at a Vatican press conference.

He said that a weakening of the Christian presence due to emigration "risks destroying the internal equilibrium and the reality of Lebanon itself, further putting the Christian presence in the Middle East at risk."

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