GUARD-OF-HONOUR, THE POPE LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT AND BEING GREETED BY PRESIDENT HELOU OF THE LEBANON, REVIEWING THE HONOUR GUARD, BLESSING THE CROWD FROM THE ROOF OF THE AIRPORT BUILDING, RETURNING TO THE AIRCRAFT AND GIVING HIS FINAL BLESSING FROM THE AIRCRAFT'S STEPS.




Initials JT/V/JH/JG


EDITORS: SEE ALSO PROD 10979/64 (2 DEC '64) SHOWING THE POPE'S DEPARTURE FROM ROME.

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Background: POPE PAUL STOPPED FOR AN HOUR IN BEIRUT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ON HIS WAY TO BOMBAY. HE RECEIVED A TUMULTUOUS WELCOME FROM THOUSANDS OF LEBANESE AT THE AIRPORT. SO MUCH SO THAT HIS AIRCRAFT SCHEDULED 30-MINUTE REFUELLING STOP WAS EXTENDED TO AN HOUR.

CROWDS HAD BEEN AT THE AIRPORT SINCE DAWN WHEN THE BIG AIR INDIA BOEING JET TOUCHED DOWN. IT WAS ON A SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL FLIGHT. THE CROWDS CHEERED AND CHANTED "VIVA IL PAPA" WHEN THE PURPLE AND WHITE-ROBED PONTIFF GAVE THEM HIS BLESSING FROM THE AIRPORT TERMINAL ROOF.

BUT IT WAS SILENCE AS THE POPE GAVE HIS BENEDICTION. THEN CAME A THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE WHEN HE CRIED OUT THREE TIMES: "VIVE LE LEBAN."
("ALSO AMONG THE WELCOMING PARTY WAS THE SYRIAN INFORMATION MINISTER, WHO DELIVERED GREETINGS TO THE POPE FROM THE SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL AMIN AL-HAFEZ. HE EXPRESSED THE SYRIAN PEOPLE'S HOPES THAT THE POPE WOULD STAND BY THE "ARAB RIGHT IN PALESTINE" (ISRAEL). THE POPE REPLIED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS WHICH INTERESTED SYRIA -- AS HAD BEEN OUTLINED BY PRESIDENT HELOU ON BEHALF OF ALL ARAB COUNTRIES).

(BEFORE LEAVING ROME, POPE PAUL ASKED EVERYONE TO REMEMBER THE BROTHERHOOD OF ALL MANKIND).