POPE LEO XIV met with the world’s diplomats on Friday, Jan. 9, for the traditional exchange of New Year greetings and to present an outline of the Holy See’s stances on global affairs at the Hall of Benedictions at the Vatican.
Speaking before 184 members of the Holy See Diplomatic Corps, the pope appealed for peace, a stronger multilateralism, and greater protection of the sanctity of life, among others.
Below are the pontiff’s appeals to the countries’ representatives in his first annual “State of the World” address:
‘War is back in vogue’
The pope warned diplomats that weakening “multilateralism,” or the diplomatic cooperation and rules-based collaboration of countries, is a “cause for concern.”
For him, international diplomacy is being replaced by force rather than the promotion of dialogue and consensus among parties.
“War is back in vogue, and a zeal for war is spreading,” the pope said, citing that the prohibition among nations from using force to violate other countries’ borders has been “completely undermined.”
Humanitarian law
Pope Leo reminded diplomats that international humanitarian law is non-optional and urged them to comply at all times, without conditions.
According to him, the law guarantees a “minimum of humanity” during wars, which the different States have committed to.
“Such law must always prevail over the ambitions of belligerents, to mitigate the devastating effects of war, also with a view to reconstruction. We cannot ignore that the destruction of hospitals, energy infrastructure, homes, and places essential to daily life constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” the pope said.
The Holy See firmly condemns any form of civilian involvement in military operations, he said reminding them of the inviolability of human dignity and the sanctity of life as priorities, above national interest.
Religious freedom
The pontiff warned against curtailing religious freedom.
He cited a report from the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), showing that violations of religious freedom are on the rise, with 64 percent of the world’s population suffering religious persecution.
Pope Leo called on the diplomats to remember the victims of religious violence in Bangladesh, Nigeria, Syria and Mozambique, and victims of religious discrimination in Europe and the Americas.
“The Holy See consistently takes a stand in defense of the inalienable dignity of every person. It cannot be overlooked, for example, that every migrant is a person and, as such, has inalienable rights that must be respected in every situation,” he said.
On the death penalty
The pope stressed that prisoners should never be reduced to the crimes they had committed.
He called on diplomats to establish a system of justice in which penalties are proportionate to the crimes committed and dignified conditions are guaranteed for prisoners.
“Above all, efforts [should be] made to abolish the death penalty, a measure that destroys all hope of forgiveness and renewal,” the pope said.
Sanctity of life
Pope Leo emphasized the importance of caring for the “unborn life,” as part of the Christian vocation to love and life.
“It implies a fundamental ethical imperative for enabling families to welcome and fully care for unborn life. This is increasingly a priority. Life, in fact, is a priceless gift that develops within a committed relationship based on mutual self-giving and service,” he said.
The pope rejected practices that deny and exploit the “origin of life and its development,” such as abortion.
“The Holy See expresses deep concern about projects aimed at financing cross-border mobility for the purpose of accessing the so-called ‘right to safe abortion,’” he said.
For him, governments should support mothers and families, instead of allocating resources for services that suppress life.
“The primary objective must remain the protection of every unborn child and the effective and concrete support of every woman so that she can welcome life,” he added.
Surrogacy was also condemned by the pope, saying the practice violates the dignity of both the mother and child, who becomes a product of exploitation and generative processes.
Euthanasia or mercy killing should be eschewed in favor of solutions to human suffering, such as palliative care, he said.
“We firmly reiterate that the protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation of every other human right. A society is healthy and truly progresses only when it safeguards the sanctity of human life and works actively to promote it,” the pope stressed.
Ceasefire
The Holy See reiterated its calls for an immediate ceasefire among warring nations and urged governments to foster sincere dialogue that “leads to peace.”
“I make an urgent appeal to the international community not to waver in its commitment to pursuing just and lasting solutions that will protect the most vulnerable and restore hope to the afflicted peoples. I likewise emphasize the Holy See’s full willingness to support any initiative that promotes peace and harmony,” he said.
The pope appealed for peace, especially in the context of wars in Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Palestine; tensions in the Caribbean Sea, the American Pacific coast, and Venezuela; conflicts in Haiti; political instability in Sudan and South Sudan; and a security crisis in Myanmar.
“Notwithstanding the tragic situation before our eyes, peace remains a difficult yet realistic good. During our pilgrimage on this earth, peacemaking requires humility and courage. The humility to live truthfully and the courage to forgive,” the pope said.
Pope Leo concluded by citing the example of St. Francis of Assisi, whose life, according to him, is an expression of courage and peace.
“His life shines brightly, for it was inspired by the courage to live in truth. The knowledge that a peaceful world is built starting with humble hearts turned toward the heavenly city,” he said. With reports from Yuvshenka Andrea R. Osea
