Pope Leo 14 calls for unity against rising nationalism

Pope Leo 14, the first American-born pope, recently marked one month since his election. Speaking at a Pentecost Mass in St. Peter’s Square, he called for openness and unity, urging people to “open borders, tear down walls, and cast out hatred.” He stressed that where love exists, prejudice, division, and exclusivity have no place.

While the pope did not directly mention any politicians or countries, Reuters highlighted his past criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump. His reference to political nationalism and exclusion seemed to indirectly criticize Trump’s strict immigration policies.

Like his predecessor Pope Francis, Pope Leo 14 advocates compassion toward immigrants. As a cardinal, he publicly criticized the Trump administration’s policy of separating undocumented immigrant children from their parents.

He also reflected on Pope Francis’s May 2023 message highlighting solidarity in a world marked by disconnection, apathy, and loneliness. Pope Leo 14 described ongoing global conflicts as tragic signs of this disconnection and called for reconciliation and dialogue wherever war continues.

Since his election, Pope Leo 14 has urged an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas militants. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky notably attended the pope’s inauguration, while Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with him by phone earlier this month.

Pope Leo 14 also voiced concern about social media’s role in reinforcing confirmation bias. He noted that despite constant digital connectivity, genuine human connection is missing, leaving people feeling like “confused and lonely strangers in the crowd.”


이지윤 기자 asap@donga.com