Pope Leo XIV visited the small republic of San Marino and attended a Catholic event in Rimini, Italy, where he delivered strong messages against war, polarization, and societal division. He urged believers to foster dialogue and friendship in today’s fractured world.
Speaking to thousands in Rimini, Leo criticized a culture that encourages rearming minds and nations. He called on Christians to respond with mercy, encounter, and a commitment to peace. The pope offered encouragement to young Catholics, stating they represent a promising future.
In San Marino, Leo addressed local leaders and reflected on the legacy of Saints Marino and Leone. These saints helped build a society based on freedom, mutual respect, and community, which still influences the republic.
San Marino, a nation of about 35,000 surrounded by Italy, dates back to the fourth century. It is governed by a 60-member parliament that elects two captains regent every six months, ensuring no concentration of power.
Leo is the third pope to visit San Marino, following St. John Paul II in 1982 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2011. He praised a society emphasizing respect for individual freedoms and God’s will.
The pope warned against violence, social fragmentation, and ideologies prioritizing self-interest over the common good. He noted that modern societies are often torn by conflict. Leo urged Christians to offer forgiveness, solidarity, and support for the vulnerable.
Highlighting San Marino as a “laboratory of good politics”, Leo called for dignity in public life “from conception to natural death”. He did not address San Marino’s 2021 referendum that legalized abortion but emphasized human dignity at the core of political and social systems.
At the Rimini Meeting, a Catholic cultural festival, Leo urged Catholics to respond to global challenges with dialogue and encounter, stressing that human dignity should surpass political, social, and ideological divisions.
Leo warned against a growing culture of confrontation and militarization. He stressed that Christians should see opponents as siblings to be met with truth. He called for challenging systems that foster poverty, inequality, and conflict.
“Let us expose unjust structures of power that lie at the root of poverty, inequality, war, and environmental disasters,” Leo stated.
He advocated for liberation from profit-focused work and warned against invasive technological developments.
Pope Leo emphasized young people’s role as hope in times of uncertainty, encouraging their engagement with society. Echoing themes championed by Pope Francis, Leo promoted listening and dialogue as means of church growth through authentic witness.