The director of the "Italian-Arab Friendship" website, writer and journalist Roberto Rodgjero, stated that "those who are waiting for a near visit from the Holy Father to Lebanon are delusional or aim to mislead people to distract them from real problems." In an interview with the National News Agency, he said, "It is true that His Holiness occasionally expresses his sadness, closeness, and love for Lebanon, but these are just words that have no effect. Even His Eminence Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara al-Rahi cannot bear the failure of a visit that is intended to be exploited by a politically represented class that ostensibly represents the state but is practically responsible for money laundering and spreading corruption. The Holy Father cannot be a cover for them."
Regarding Pope Francis's visit to Bahrain, he remarked, "It was a sincere visit that both sides worked to achieve, aiming to remain a spiritual visit and a message for global conscience to stop conflicts." Additionally, during his general audience with the faithful in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father discussed his apostolic visit to Bahrain, particularly focusing on "dialogue, encounter, and pilgrimage." He began by talking about dialogue, reminding that "the apostolic visit to Bahrain was in response to an invitation from the king to participate in a forum for dialogue between East and West, and dialogue serves to discover the richness of those belonging to other peoples, traditions, and religions." He pointed out the importance of "not living in isolation in Bahrain, which is essential for peace." He described dialogue as the "oxygen of peace," recalling the Second Vatican Council's affirmation sixty years ago that building peace requires distancing oneself from any national egotism or superiority aspirations, necessitating, rather, a profound respect for all humanity.
Pope Francis indicated that he sensed "this need" in Bahrain and expressed "hope that religious leaders worldwide can look beyond their borders and communities to care for everyone." He stated, "Only by doing so can we confront issues such as our forgetfulness of God, the tragedy of hunger, the protection of creation, and peace." He referred to the call of the Bahrain gathering to "choose the path of encounter and reject conflict." Furthermore, he spoke about the wars in Ukraine and other countries like Yemen, Syria, and Myanmar, stressing that "conflicts cannot be resolved with childish weapon logic but only through the strength of dialogue."
