Pope Leo XIV Urges Diplomats to Foster Global Peace with Justice, Truth, and Hope

Vatican City, May 16, 2025: Pope Leo XIV, in his first official address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, urged them to pursue peace through justice, truth, and hope. The newly elected pontiff delivered his message at the Vatican on Friday morning, urging nations to build bridges and reject conflict through renewed multilateral diplomacy and pastoral dialogue.

The Pope opened his speech by paying tribute to Ambassador George Poulides of Cyprus, the outgoing Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. He commended Poulides for his years of “energy, commitment, and kindness”, as well as for the respect he earned from Pope Francis and preceding pontiffs.

Addressing the gathered diplomats, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Church’s global mission to serve all of humanity. He emphasised that the Holy See does not seek privilege but rather opportunity—an opportunity to build bridges across political, cultural, and religious divides.

Describing the diplomatic community as a family united by shared human and spiritual values, the Pope underscored that the Church’s diplomacy is grounded in pastoral concern.

Drawing on his multicultural background and experiences across North and South America as well as Europe, he expressed a personal commitment to transcending borders and strengthening the Church’s engagement with all peoples and nations.

Central to the Pope’s message were the three guiding principles of peace, justice and truth. The pontiff described these principles as the foundation of the Holy See’s diplomatic 

engagement. 

He defined ‘peace’ not as the absence of war but as an active, internal effort beginning in the human heart, cultivated through humility, careful speech, and the rejection of both pride and vengeance. He warned against the power of harmful rhetoric and called for a renewed commitment to religious freedom and interfaith dialogue, alongside a global cessation of the arms race.

On the topic of ‘justice’, Pope Leo XIV drew on the social teachings of Pope Leo XIII, urging global leaders to uphold the dignity of every human being, from the unborn to the elderly, from the marginalised to migrants. Reflecting on his own experience as the son of immigrants, he called for a renewed spirit of solidarity that transcends borders.

Turning to the theme of ‘truth’, the Pope emphasised the importance of authentic communication in an age marked by widespread misinformation. He reminded the diplomats that truth is not merely a concept but a person—Christ—and that it serves as a foundation for addressing pressing global challenges, including migration, technological change, and the environmental crisis.

Concluding his address within the context of the Jubilee Year of Hope, Pope Leo XIV described the period as a time for “conversion, renewal, and reconciliation”. He reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to walking alongside every nation in building a world where all may live with dignity and peace. “It is my hope”, he concluded, “that this will be the case everywhere, starting with those places that suffer most grievously, like Ukraine and the Holy Land.”

Courtesy: Vatican News