Pope Leo XIV Addresses Wealth Disparity During Monaco Engagement

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday voiced strong disapproval of the increasing disparity between the rich and the poor, condemning what he described as the expanding "chasms between the poor and the rich."

The Pontiff, visiting Monaco – a principality known for its affluence and the first Western European destination of his papacy – delivered an address in French from the balcony of the Prince's Palace. He decried "unjust configurations of power, structures of sin that dig chasms between the poor and the rich, between the privileged and the rejected, between friends and enemy."

He further asserted that wealth ought to serve "law and justice, especially at a historical moment when displays of force and the logic of omnipotence wound the world and jeopardise peace," a statement that seemed to allude to the numerous global conflicts.

Bells tolled throughout the principality as Pope Leo XIV arrived in the small state situated between France and Italy on the Mediterranean coast.

Residents gathered outside the palace, many waving flags representing both the principality and the Vatican.

Shopkeepers along Rue Grimaldi, a main road, decorated their shop windows with the colours of both Monaco and the Vatican to commemorate the occasion.

From the palace, the Pope was scheduled to proceed to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception to meet with the Catholic community, and then to the square in front of the Church of Saint Devota, the patron saint of Monaco.

In the streets of the tiny city-state, billboards featured images of the Pontiff in his religious vestments, a stark contrast to the luxury sports cars and throngs of tourists.

The main event was to be an open-air mass at the Louis II Stadium, which was anticipated to attract an audience of 15,000 people.

According to Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni, Pope Leo XIV was expected to deliver speeches on environmental preservation, a topic dear to Prince Albert, Monaco's role in Europe, and "the protection of life in all its forms."

This latter phrase encompasses opposition to abortion, which is prohibited in the principality, and euthanasia, but also serves as a denunciation of all conflicts, particularly given the current war in the Middle East and its impact on the global economy.

Monaco stands as one of the few European locations where Catholicism is the official state religion and maintains long-standing diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

Although approximately only eight percent of Monaco's citizens identify as active Catholics, church gatherings are among the rare instances where billionaires, cleaners, and construction workers interact.

Prince Albert stated in an interview with the local newspaper Nice-Matin that "this visit is a powerful sign testifying to the Principality’s importance within the Catholic Christian world."

The Prince also indicated shared objectives with the Vatican, such as international solidarity and "the promotion of peace through sport."

While some residents expressed a lack of interest in the papal visit, Isabel Fissore, a 62-year-old jewellery shop owner, successfully obtained invitations to events with the Pontiff.

Fissore shared with AFP, "It's historic: the two smallest states in the world coming together to spread a message of peace, light, and love throughout the world. We may be a small nation, yet our hearts are big."

Monaco's Archbishop, Monsignor Dominique-Marie David, noted that the Pope's visit was an outreach to "other cultures, other countries, other backgrounds and other languages" within the principality, which is home to people from about 140 different nationalities.