Pope Leo XIV addressed Monaco at the outset of his brief one-day visit there on March 28, telling the tiny micro-state that the “gift of smallness” and a “living spiritual heritage” lets the country “serve the cause of law and justice.”
The Holy Father touched down in the city-state at 9 a.m. The brief journey to Monaco was undertaken by helicopter to ensure the pope would not have to set foot on ...
**Steelman:** The narrative presents Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Monaco as a symbolic affirmation of small nations’ moral agency, leveraging the principality’s Catholic identity to advocate for justice in a fractured world. The logistical care to avoid French soil underscores diplomatic nuance, while the emphasis on Monaco’s state religion highlights its unique role in Europe. The pope’s rhetoric—"the small who make history"—frames the visit as a counterpoint to global power dynamics, appealing to s...