Pope Leo XIV made his first official visit to Monaco on Saturday, urging residents of the wealthy Mediterranean principality to use their prosperity and influence for good. He met with Prince Albert and Princess Charlene at the Monaco heliport, where a ceremonial cannon salute marked his arrival.
Key Takeaways
Pope Leo XIV visited Monaco on Saturday, urging residents to use their wealth for good and reject 'idolatry of power and money.' He met with Prince Albert and Princess Charlene at the heliport. According to multiple reports, he emphasized using prosperity and influence to promote peace in a world harmed by power displays.
In his address from the palace balcony, Leo emphasized the importance of using wealth and 'the gift of smallness' to promote peace in a world harmed by power displays and oppression. He later spoke at the cathedral, urging Monaco's Catholics to defend life from conception until natural death—a reference to Catholic opposition to abortion and euthanasia.
Prince Albert recently vetoed a proposal to legalize abortion in Monaco, aligning with Catholic doctrine despite abortion being a constitutional right in neighboring France. According to TimesLIVE, crowds were relatively thin as he toured the country in an open-air popemobile.
The visit was marked by all the usual protocol and pomp of a papal tour. Leo gave Prince Albert a colorful artwork created by the Vatican’s mosaic studio, depicting St Francis of Assisi—a 13th-century son of a prosperous Italian merchant who renounced his inheritance to help the poor. One Monaco resident expressed hope that the pope could bring people together amid ongoing global tensions.
As reported by PBS, Leo urged residents to reject the 'idolatry of power and money' fueling wars around the world. He noted that Monaco's small size could be an advantage in promoting good on the global stage. The prince and princess greeted Leo at the heliport, just down the coast from a marina filled with megayachts.
During his homily at Mass in the Monaco stadium, Leo urged the faithful to reject idolatry that has enslaved people in cycles of war and injustice. He emphasized that peace is not merely a balance of power but the work of purified hearts. Monaco's government has been a strong campaigner for environmental protection and supporter of initiatives to help Christians in the Middle East.
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