Pope Leo
In an intervention delivered in French on the balcony of the Prince’s Palace, in front of Albert II and the main Monagasque dignitaries, the pope of North American origin criticized “the unjust configurations of power, the structures of sin that deepen chasms between poor and rich, between privileged and rejected, between friends and enemies”.
“Every talent, every opportunity, every asset placed in our hands has a universal destiny, an intrinsic duty not to be retained, but redistributed, so that everyone’s life is better”, he added, in this microstate on the French Riviera, which is proud of its numerous charitable institutions and foundations.
“Living here is for some a privilege and a specific call to reflect on their own place in the world”, he highlighted.
“The gift of smallness […] commits its wealth to the service of law and justice, especially at a historical moment in which the demonstration of force and the logic of omnipotence hurt the world and compromise peace”, he added, in a clear reference to the conflicts that are multiplying around the world.
Just before the pope’s speech, Prince Albert II had also highlighted the existence of an “imperative of solidarity on the part of those with more means”.
“Like Your Holiness, we also know that small States can contribute to the betterment of the world, as long as they are faithful to their values and strong in their determination”, he reinforced.
The Vatican and Monaco are two of the smallest states in the world in terms of surface area.
Leo XIV arrived this Saturday by helicopter in the small principality of Monaco, where he will stay for just nine hours, in what is his first visit to a European country.
Upon arrival, he was welcomed by Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, dressed in white. Salutes of honor were fired and the church bells of the small principality rang.
This is his second international apostolic journey, being the first by a pope in modern times, as there is only record that, in 1538, Paul III passed through this territory on his return from the Congress of Nice.
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