BEIRUT, Beirut Governorate —

Over the past few decades, hundreds of thousands of Christians have left parts of the Middle East for good, driven by wars and the rise of Muslim extremists.

In Lebanon, it has been different. Despite the many crises that have battered the small nation, Christians continue to enjoy religious freedom and significant political influence.

Video above: Pope Leo arrives in Turkey to begin his first foreign trip

Pope Leo XIV's visit to Lebanon over the weekend is a recognition of the importance of Lebanon’s religious pluralism and a message to Christians not to abandon the region.

In Iraq, large numbers of Christians fled after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and the rise of the Islamic State group that followed. A decade later, in 2014, IS declared a caliphat

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