Pope Leo XIV denounced the widening gap between rich and poor during his first western European papal visit to Monaco, a nation of stark contrasts.
MONACO: Pope Leo XIV condemned the widening “chasms between the poor and the rich” during a historic visit to the affluent principality of Monaco.
The American pontiff made the remarks from the balcony of the Prince’s Palace after arriving by helicopter from Rome.
He denounced “unjust configurations of power” and “structures of sin that dig chasms between poor and rich, between the privileged and the rejected”.
Pope Leo stated that wealth should serve “law and justice, especially at a historical moment when displays of force and the logic of omnipotence wound the world”.
The visit is the first to western Europe of his papacy. He was greeted by Monaco’s ruler Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene under radiant sunshine at Monte Carlo’s heliport.
Bells pealed across the Mediterranean microstate to mark his arrival. Locals gathered outside the palace brandishing flags of Monaco and the Vatican.
“I’m trembling – it’s so emotional, and I’m so proud,” said Alix Pearce, a 34-year-old sales representative who attended with her family. Shopkeepers along the Popemobile’s route on Rue Grimaldi decorated their windows in both states’ colours.
The papal itinerary included a meeting with the Catholic community at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He also visited the square in front of the Church of Saint Devota, dedicated to Monaco’s patron saint.
Billboards showing the pontiff contrasted with gleaming sports cars and tourist crowds in the city-state. The visit’s highlight was an open-air mass at the Louis II Stadium, attended by 15,000 people.
“The pope brings people together,” said Eric Battaglia, a 64-year-old Monegasque artist. “In a world that has been at war for the past few years, it’s a blessing that there are people like him.”
According to Vatican press director Matteo Bruni, the pope’s speeches addressed environmental protection, Monaco’s European role, and “the protection of life in all its forms”. This phrase encompasses opposition to abortion and euthanasia, and serves as condemnation of all conflict.
Monaco remains one of few European places where Catholicism is the state religion. Only around eight percent of citizens identify as practising Catholics, yet church pews are where billionaires, cleaning ladies and construction workers mingle.
“This visit is a powerful sign testifying to the Principality’s importance within the Catholic Christian world,” Prince Albert told local daily Nice-Matin. The prince said he shared with the Vatican common causes including international solidarity.
“It’s historic: the two smallest states in the world coming together to spread a message of peace, light and love throughout the world,” said Isabel Fissore, a 62-year-old jewellery shop owner who met the pontiff. “We may be a small nation, yet our hearts are big.”
Monaco Archbishop Monsignor Dominique-Marie David said the pope is reaching out to “other cultures, other countries, other backgrounds and other languages”. The principality is home to some 140 nationalities.
