Beirut is preparing for massive crowds on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when Pope Leo will lead a public mass at the Beirut Waterfront at 10:30 am.
These are the detailed plans for road closures, shuttles, and on-site services to handle what could be more than 150,000 attendees.
Road closures
Closures roll out in three stages starting Monday, Dec. 1.
Stage 1 – Dec. 1, Monday evening:
The entire Beirut Waterfront area is closed to vehicles and pedestrians.
Stage 2 – Dec. 2, Tuesday 12 am (midnight):
Stores, restaurants, and cafes near the Port entrance, Saifi, Annahar, Bab Idriss, Fakhreddine Street, and the Saint George Hotel will shut for the event.
Stage 3 – Dec. 2, Tuesday 4 am:
Closures extend to areas near the Emigrants’ Statue, Gemmayzeh Street, the Frères School, Burj al-Ghazal, the Ring Bridge, Murr Tower, Holiday Inn and Abdel Nasser statue.
To help crowds arrive, the highway from the Port of Beirut to Fouad Chehab Stadium in Jounieh will be closed from 7:30 to 9:30 am on Dec. 2.
The part from Jal al-Dib to Fouad Shehab Stadium reopens starting 9:00 am.
Drivers not attending the mass will be diverted at Nahr al-Kalb bridge and from the coastal road toward Burj Hammoud.
Shuttles to and from the mass
Buses will use a color-coded sticker system showing each bus’s region and villages:
- North: yellow
- Kesrouan: purple
- Batroun and Jbeil: pink
- Metn: blue
- Beirut: green
- South and Chouf: orange
- Bekaa and Upper Chouf: red
Martyrs’ Square will serve as the drop-off point for clergy.
Shuttles to mass
- Kesrouan: Beirut Port parking lot near the fish market
- North: Parking lot behind City Mall, Dora
- Chouf and Bekaa: Emile Lahoud highway parking (in front of the Ministry of Energy)
- Jbeil and Batroun: Beirut Forum parking lot
- Beirut: Horse racetrack parking lot
- South: Sports City Stadium parking lot
- Metn: Souk al-Ahad, Corniche of the river
Shuttles from mass to drop off points for:
- Kesrouan: Chafic Wazzan Avenue
- North: Banks Street to Riad Solh Square
- Chouf and Bekaa: Westbound Chafic Wazzan Avenue
- Jbeil and Batroun: Road from Bechara al-Khoury to the Armenian church, down to Martyrs’ Square
- Beirut: Martyrs’ Square toward Bechara al-Khoury
- South: Saint George Hotel, Place de l’Étoile and Ain al-Mreisseh
- Metn: Georges Haddad Street
What to expect on the day
As of publishing this, there is still space for you to register to attend the mass, and it’s free. The site issues a QR code that must be shown at the entrance and to board the shuttles.
Attendees are asked to arrive between 5:00 am and 8:30 am; buses will then take people to the mass and their assigned section. No entry after 9 am.
Pope Leo is scheduled to arrive at 10:00 am, passing through the crowd before the mass begins at 10:30 am.
Rules and Regulations
- Mass is outdoors – bring umbrellas or raincoats if needed
- Modest & respectful dress code
- Arrive early for security and logistics measures
- Food not allowed inside – except biscuits & dry sandwiches for those taking medications. Water stations are available
- No professional videocams will be allowed
- No smoking or vapes (will be confiscated at the doors)
- When the mass ends, you’ll need to remain at your location until the pope leaves (~40 minutes)
- Departure operation will take several hours as many people are expected
- Each ticket has a designated zone, based on a first-come first-serve basis. You will not be allowed to change zones.
