In a major address to diplomats gathered at the Vatican, Pope Leo
In his first State of the World address, the American-born pope expressed concern about the “rising tensions” in the “Caribbean and the Pacific coast of the United States,” but called for respecting “the will of the Venezuelan people” and restoring stability to the country.
“War is back in fashion and zeal for war is spreading,” Leo told ambassadors from around the world gathered at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Friday. “The principles established after World War II that prohibited states from using force to violate the borders of other states have been completely undermined.”
Leo spoke less than a week after the United States detained Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a military raid and as Russia shows little desire to end its war with Ukraine. In his speech, the American Pope emphasized the importance of international law. His words stand in sharp contrast to those of U.S. President Donald Trump, who told The New York Times on Wednesday that he feels bound only by “his own morals,” even as he rejects international law and the post-World War II order.
Mr. Leo lamented the weakness of “multilateralism” (the idea that countries work together to solve problems) and stressed the “importance of international humanitarian law,” which he said “must always prevail over the ambitions of belligerents.” He noted that the United Nations was established to preserve peace after the tragedy of World War II, and warned that “consensus-seeking” diplomacy was now being replaced by diplomacy “based on force by individuals or groups of allies.”
The Chicago-born pope spoke almost entirely in his native English in his first New Year’s address to the international diplomatic corps representing countries at the Vatican. Wearing the papal red mozzetta, Leo addressed the gathering, which included U.S. Apostolic Nuncio Brian Birch and Venezuelan Ambassador Franklin Mauricio Seltzer Malpica, calling the encounter “a new experience for me.”
In a wide-ranging 43-minute speech, Leo strongly condemned abortion, surrogacy and euthanasia, and defended the right of conscientious objection by doctors and medical professionals, from those who refuse to participate in abortion or assisted living to those who decline military service.
The Pope also lamented the “rapid decline” in freedom of expression in Western countries, warning that “a new Orwellian language… in its attempts to become more and more inclusive ends up excluding those who do not conform to the ideology that promotes it.”
While warning of escalating conflict, Leo drew several parallels between modern times and the fifth century, citing St. Augustine, the founder of the Papal Order, and his seminal theological and political work, The City of God. Leo said society then, like now, was characterized by immigration, a changing world order and “changing times.”
The Pope also reiterated his concerns about the treatment of migrants, warning governments not to use the fight against “crime and human trafficking” as a pretext to “undermine the dignity of migrants and refugees.”
Leo’s address to diplomats comes as the pope looks to use the first half of 2026 to set clearer guidelines for his pontificate, including seeking more input from the College of Cardinals to support the leadership of the global Catholic Church.
On January 8, the Pope concluded the world’s summit of cardinals, known as the “Extraordinary Conference,” where cardinals met in small groups to discuss. The roundtable-style gatherings, pioneered by large gatherings hosted by Pope Francis, signal Leo’s plan to continue his predecessor’s approach of seeking a more welcoming church, where leaders listen to Catholics at the pews.
“I’m here to listen,” Leo told the cardinals in a private meeting, arguing that only a unified church can attract new believers. “Spending this day and a half together will point us in the direction of our future.”
The cardinals’ discussions focused on evangelization and “synodality,” a renewal program initiated by Francis that has sparked debate on sensitive issues within the Catholic Church, such as the ordination of women and the acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics. Leo asked the cardinals for their “considerations and priorities” on the two topics.
Cardinal Pablo David of the Philippines told reporters afterward that it was “refreshing” to see the pope “listening and talking more” during the gathering, and said Leo was “taking notes very seriously.”
In a meditation at the beginning of the meeting, British Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe said the church was “rocked by its own storms of sexual abuse and ideological division” and that it must face these “with honesty, not cowardice.”
During his papacy, Francis faced strong resistance from some conservative cardinals to some of his reforms, particularly loosening the ban on divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving Holy Communion and welcoming gay Catholics. However, the late pope did not have many formal meetings with the College of Cardinals, and the cardinals had argued at a meeting before the last conclave that a future pope should be replaced.
Leo accepted the recommendation and plans to consult the world body annually while carrying out what he describes as the “heavy and burdensome responsibilities” of his job. The next meeting will be held from June 27th to 28th this year, and will be held for three to four days every year thereafter.
