monaco —
The leaders of the world’s two smallest countries met on Saturday as Pope Leo XIV made history with his first visit to Monaco in modern times.
Leo flew to Monaco by helicopter from the Vatican, where he was greeted by Grand Duke Albert and Princess Charlene, and began his visit with a private meeting at the Grand Ducal Palace. Crowds waving Monaco and Vatican flags, children in yellow hats were waiting for him.
The Pope’s visit to the principality, his first overseas trip in 2026 and his first visit to Europe outside of Italy, raises questions about why he chose a place known for its wealth and fame as a playground for the super-rich.
However, the relationship between the Holy See and Monaco is deeply tied to the principality’s state religion, Catholicism, and the Vatican believes there are diplomatic benefits to working closely with other small states.
There is also a personal aspect. The first American-born pope and Grand Duke Albert share ties to the United States, given that Prince Albert of Monaco’s mother, Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, married Prince Rainier III in 1956.
“The gift of smallness and a living spiritual heritage invites us to devote our prosperity to the service of law and justice,” Leo told the crowd outside the prince’s palace, calling it necessary at a time when “the logic of power and oppression is poisoning the world and endangering peace.”
Underscoring the shared priorities of the Vatican and Monaco, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state for the Holy See, said small states could still play an important moral role on the world stage as “a bulwark against authoritarian tendencies.”
Parolin said small states could be “natural guardians of multilateralism” at a time when “international law appears to be weakening” with “a dangerous return to doctrine that justifies preventive war”.
These include environmental protections, with Monaco actively pursuing a green transition, and opposition to abortion, with Prince Albert recently vetoing the principality’s abortion laws.
Monaco’s ties to the Church are reflected in the fact that Princess Charlene is one of a small group of Catholic royal women who have been granted the rare privilege of wearing white rather than the customary black in the presence of the Pope.
Leo’s itinerary for the day includes a meeting with Monaco’s Catholic community and a public mass at the National Stadium.
But the pope has no plans to visit Monaco’s famous casino district, and his brother John said Leo stopped gambling after serving as a missionary in Peru.
“We had fun going boating and gambling,” John told the National Catholic Reporter. “After this experience, he said, ‘Well, there’s no point. You could do better with your money.’
