Pope in the diplomatic corps: building peace with justice, truth and hope

By Francesca Merlo

Pope Leo XIV addressed members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See on Friday morning, only a week after his election at the siege of Pierre.

Marking his first speech to the diplomatic community, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to the Ambassador George Poulides of Cyprus, the dean out of the body, praising his years of “energy, commitment and kindness”, as well as the esteem he obtained from Pope Francis and previous popes.

Then turning to diplomatic representatives, the Pope reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to serve all humanity, describing the diplomatic community as a family “which shares the joys and the sorrows of life” and is based on human and spiritual values. The Pope continued by noting that in this family, the Church does not seek privileges, but rather opportunities to build bridges, in particular thanks to its distinctive form of diplomacy rooted in a pastoral concern.

Pope Leo XIV continued to note that this mission echoes the inheritance of Pope Francis, whose commitment to the poor and marginalized, as well as his attention to the protection of creation and the rise of artificial intelligence, remains a constant and continuous inspiration.

Then reflecting on his own life, which took him through North and South and South and Europe, the Pope expressed his personal desire to “transcend borders” and deepen the relationship of the Church with peoples and nations around the world.

Three pillars: peace, justice and truth

At the heart of the Pope’s address were three essential words, which he identified as the pillars of the missionary activity of the Church and the foundation of the diplomatic commitment of the Holy See: peace, justice and truth.

Peace

The first word, peaceHe described not as the simple absence of war, but as a demanding and active gift, “the first gift of Christ”. True peace, he continued, must begin in the human heart, through humility, careful speech and the rejection of pride and revenge. He continued, also refers to words, because “not only can weapons injure and even kill”.

In this spirit, Pope Leo XIV underlined the essential role of religious freedom and interreligious dialogue in the culture of peace. He called for a renewal of multilateral diplomacy and a decisive judgment for the arms race, echoing the last message Urbi and Orbi of Pope Francis, in which he warned, as he often did, that “no peace is possible without disarmament”.

Justice

Then turning to the second word, justicePope Leo has thought about the memory of Pope Leo XIII and the rich tradition of social teaching of the Church. The world being confronted with the deepening of global inequalities, Pope Leo urged managers to invest in the family and maintain the dignity of each human person, “from child to the elderly, from patients to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants”.

He then shared a brief reflection on his own identity as immigrants, and called for greater solidarity, rooted in the shared human dignity of all, whatever the circumstances or nationality.

Truth

Speaking of the third and last world, truthPope Leo XIV described the essential need for authentic communication and peaceful relations. In a world where reality is often distorted, especially online, the Pope insisted on the duty of the Church to tell the truth with a charity, even difficult or misunderstood.

“The truth,” he said, “is not an abstract principle but an encounter with the person of Christ”. It is this truth, he continued, which allows humanity to face its most urgent challenges, such as migration, technology or the environment, with unity and shared goal.

Hope for a new path

By putting his address at an end, Pope Leo XIV has placed his ministry in the context of the Jubilee’s hope, which he described as a time for conversion, renewal and especially for having left conflicts.

Finally, he has renewed the holy ofes’ commitment to walk alongside each nation in the construction of a world where everyone can live with dignity and peace. “This is my hope,” he concluded, “that it will be the case everywhere, starting with the most seriously suffering places, like Ukraine and the Holy Land.”