Pope Leo XIV is warning that lasting peace cannot be built without shared moral truths.
In a message to a European peacebuilding conference in Luxembourg, the pope cautioned that the spread of relativism – and the reduction of truth to personal opinion – weakens the moral foundations societies need to live in peace.
The message, signed by the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was sent to participants in a 23 January conference hosted by the Centesimus Annus Pro-Pontifice Foundation and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, known as COMECE.
Drawing on Catholic social teaching, Pope Leo said no society can thrive without commonly held truths rooted in human dignity and the belief that every person is created in the image of God.
Citing St John Paul II’s encyclical “Centesimus Annus,” he said authentic progress depends on respect for truth.
The pontiff also expressed his hope that the conference would serve as a reminder of Europe’s Christian roots. Speakers at the conference echoed those concerns.
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich warned that military strength alone cannot guarantee security, while Ukrainian leaders called for justice, dialogue and concrete action in the pursuit of peace.
