Father General Arturo Sosa was in Beirut, Lebanon, from 29 November to 1 December, for the funeral of former Superior General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach who passed away peacefully on November 26, 2016. Father Kolvenbach's funeral was celebrated in Beirut, on 30 November 2016, which would have been his 88th birthday.

The mass was presided over by the Jesuit provincial of the Near East and Maghreb Province, Father Dany Younès in the Latin Rite. Father General Arturo Sosa preached.

At the end of the mass, during the final commendation, the priests of the Armenian Rite conducted prayers and chants. Father Kolvenbach belonged to the Armenian Rite.

Father Kolvenbach was the first Superior General of the Jesuits to belong to one of the Eastern Rites in the Catholic Church. He is also the first Superior General to die and to be buried outside Rome. The Scouts Group from the Jesuit Notre Dame de Jamhour school provided a guard of honour at the beginning and at the end of the mass. The school choir led the singing.

Among those present at the funeral were the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, the Armenian Catholic Patriarch Gregorios Bedros XX Ghabroyan, the Apostolic Nuncio Mgr Gabriele Caccia, the Latin Vicar Mgr Cesar Essayan, and a number of bishops from the different eastern rites (both catholic and orthodox). There was an official delegation from the Lebanese President's office, which included ministers. Also present were members of the diplomatic corps representing different countries in Lebanon.

Father General, Father Antoine Kerhuel, and Father Patrick Mulemi represented the General Curia.