Giovanni and Charbel Lteif, 21-year-old Maronite Catholic brothers, documented Pope Leo’s journey via their social-media apostolate.
When Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lebanon on Nov. 30, more than 100,000 people lined the streets of Beirut to welcome him. Among them were Giovanni and Charbel Lteif, 21-year-old Maronite Catholic twins who came not as passive bystanders but as documentarians of “Eastern Christians,” the social-media apostolate they founded two years ago to share the stories of Christians across the Middle East and North Africa.
“Our story goes back 21 years to the moment we were born here,” they told the Register in a joint email. “Our community, the love we felt from the people, the church bells ringing every Sunday, our culture and traditions — all of it shaped the mission we carry today.”
In the weeks leading up to the visit, the twins prepared meticulously. They studied the Pope’s itinerary, scouted each location in advance, and coordinated a team of friends to capture angles of multiple events. “We wrote down every idea that came to mind,” Giovanni said. “We knew this would be one of the most significant events we would ever document for our Church, our mission and our country.”
Welcoming the Shepherd
Watching Pope Leo step onto Lebanese soil brought the weight of the moment into focus. “Seeing him land in our homeland reminded us of how meaningful it is to welcome the head of our Church to a country that has suffered so much,” they noted in their email. Later, at the youth Mass, “Thousands of people gathered and prayed together; the unity of their voices created a moment we will never forget.”
Two moments left an especially deep impression. The first came at the tomb of St. Charbel (also spelled Sharbel), where the Pope paused quietly in prayer before “a hermit who never sought attention, who lived hidden in the mountains of Lebanon, and who only wanted people to come to Christ.” The scene held particular significance for Charbel, named in honor of the saint.The twins watched the prayer unfold while standing amongst the monks of the Lebanese Maronite Order. It was a moment the twins said they “will never forget.”
During St. Charbel’s funeral in 1898, they noted, “only a few people were present, yet years after his death, the successor of St. Peter himself came to honor him.”
Bearing Witness Amid Tragedy
The second significant moment came at the port of Beirut, still scarred by the devastating 2020 explosion that killed more than 200 people. “The head of our Church visited a place that caused unimaginable trauma, destruction and pain for our country,” Charbel said. Pope Leo “listened to our cries, and he stood with us in our suffering.”
Covering this and many other stops during the papal visit demanded constant movement — shifting locations, navigating crowds, filming and editing on the go — but the twins were determined not to lose sight of the spiritual reality unfolding around them.
“We focused not only on capturing content but also on living the experience personally,” they explained.
They told the Register that the Pope’s message of peace offered a direct challenge and encouragement to Lebanon’s Christian youth. “The Pope reminded us of our strength and our value as Christians in this country, in this region, and in the world,” they shared. “He reminded us that our mission is alive and that leaving our homeland is not the solution — working for it and fighting for it is. Even during hardship, economic crisis, insecurity and war, his presence showed us that we are not abandoned.”
Telling the Story Beyond Borders
The twins believe Pope Leo’s trip will leave a mark on the country well beyond the days of his visit. “We have seen this before with other popes, especially St. John Paul II,” they said of the 1997 papal trip. “Generations later, people in Lebanon still speak about his visit and how it changed their lives and the direction of the country.”
Their coverage of Leo’s visit reached audiences all around the world. Several of their Instagram reels drew between 20,000 and 277,000 views, contributing to 70 million views in less than a week. “This trip helped our platform grow even more and has allowed us to show the world the real image of Lebanon, the holy cedars, and the land of the saints,” they recounted. “It also gave us new motivation.”
For the Lteif brothers, the papal visit was more than a media assignment; rather, it was a testament to the endurance of Eastern Christians and a renewed confirmation of the mission they believe began the day they were born. “We see our platform growing into a stronger voice for the Christians of the East and expanding our coverage as much as possible,” Charbel said. “Seeing the Pope in our homeland reminded us as twin brothers of the importance of our mission.”
This article was originally published by NCRegister.
