Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri welcomed the stance of Pope Benedict XVl from the uprising in the Arab world, stressing that his message is similar to the values and principles that he believes in.

“We hope that the positive impacts of the papal visit will appear in the near future,” Hariri said in a letter to the pope on his second day of visit to Lebanon.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel considered on Saturday that the visit of Pope Benedict XVl to Lebanon is to denounce extremism.

“The pope's statements reject violence,” Gemayel said in comments to LBCI.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Saturday that the visit of Pope Benedict XVl to Lebanon is a historical step amid the Arab Spring and the critical situation in Lebanon, the Middle East as he shared a “warm” handshake with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

“The papal visit will spread an atmosphere of tranquility and give a boost to the Arab Spring,” Geagea told reporters at the Baabda Palace on the pontiff's second day of visit to Lebanon.

Several Roumieh prison inmates rioted on Saturday by setting fire to their mattresses and holding hostage ten security forces, media reports said.

The National News Agency said the riot erupted at the prison's bloc B over the demands of the protestors for a general amnesty.

President Michel Suleiman said Saturday that democracy can't be achieved in the Middle East without the participation of Christians in political life and governance.

“Democracy cannot go straight … without the participation of the Christian element - which has been rooted in the East for more than 2,000 years - in the political life and management of public affairs no matter what the numbers are,” Suleiman said at Baabda palace.

Pope Benedict XVI said on Saturday that mankind should reject vengeance and instead pardon the offenses of others, as he urged the Middle East's Christians and Muslims to forge a harmonious society by rejecting some harmful ideologies.

Those who desire to live in peace must have a change of heart, and that involves "rejecting revenge, acknowledging one’s faults, accepting apologies without demanding them and, not least, forgiveness," he said at Baabda palace on the second day of his visit to Lebanon.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani delivered Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday a letter that stresses both Muslims and Christians have equal rights.

“Any assault on any Christian citizen means an attack on Islam,” Qabbani said in the letter that he delivered to Benedict as they met at Baabda palace on the pontiff's second day of visit to Lebanon.

Thousands of Lebanese greeted on Saturday Pope Benedict XVI as he headed on his Popemobile to Baabda palace where he met with the country's top political and Muslim religious leaders.

Lebanese and Vatican flags fluttered, and there was a festive atmosphere on the streets as the faithful greeted him from Sayyad roundabout all the way to the presidential palace.

Bishops at the Lady of Seas sanctuary in Byblos, north of Beirut, denied on Saturday reports that the statue of Virgin Mary is crying tears of blood and oil.

The bishops said in a statement that there wasn't any oil or blood on the statue as media reports and social networking sites have claimed.

The Meqdad clan hoped on Friday that officials would exert pressure on the concerned sides to speed up resolving the case of the family's kidnapped relative, Hassan, in Syria.

It said in a statement: “We cooperated fully with the army and security forces in order to maintain civil peace, and we therefore hope that the issue will be resolved soon.”