Jaina Raff

Young people from across Lebanon greeted the Pope with songs and skits.

They brought him poignant tokens, symbolic of what the country has faced.

Burnt wood from a home destroyed in war, soil and a passport symbolizing suicide and emigration.

He said along with hope, they have the gift of time to shape the future.

For NPR News, I'm Jaina Raff in Beirut.

At the seat of the Maronite Catholic Patriarch, workers, mostly Syrian refugees, are building a giant stage.

Event organizer Naaman Azi hopes the visit will shed light on the country.

The Pope's dozen events are all in Beirut, or north of the capital.

He won't be going to visit Christians in the south, where war between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah raged.

Despite a year-old ceasefire, Israel regularly attacks the south and bombed Beirut just last week, killing a senior Hezbollah official.

At Our Lady of Lebanon Sanctuary in Harissa, visitors were excited about the Pope's visit, but many Lebanese are afraid Israeli attacks will increase once the Pope leaves.

For NPR News, I'm Jaina Raff in Harissa, Lebanon.

Hezbollah announced that Haitham Ali Tabatabai was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut's southern suburbs Sunday.

The group described him as one of the founders of resistance against Israel.

Israel has launched almost daily attacks in south Lebanon, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreed a year ago.

This was Israel's first attack in months on Beirut.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called on other countries to intervene to stop Israel's ceasefire violations.

Hezbollah has refrained from attacking Israel since last year's ceasefire.

But a Hezbollah official called Sunday's attack a new red line.

For NPR News, I'm Jaina Raff in Beirut.