Pope Leo Urges Dialogue and Peace in Historic San Marino Visit

Pope Leo XIV made a powerful appeal for peace and social unity during a visit to the landlocked republic of San Marino and a major Catholic gathering in the nearby Italian city of Rimini on Saturday. The pontiff used the occasion to deliver one of his most forceful messages yet against war, polarization, and division.

Speaking to tens of thousands of attendees in Rimini, the Pope cautioned against a culture that, in his words, "rearms minds, words and nations." He urged Christians to respond with mercy, encounter, and a firm commitment to peace, framing dialogue as the essential path forward in a fractured world.

Earlier in the day, Leo addressed local authorities in San Marino, the world's oldest surviving republic. He reflected on the legacy of Saints Marino and Leone, crediting them with helping to build a society rooted in freedom, mutual respect, and community. The Pope noted that the two saints translated the Christian message into a new political model, one strongly characterized by these principles—a legacy he said continues to shape the republic today.

San Marino, a nation of about 35,000 people completely surrounded by Italy, traces its origins to the fourth century. It is governed by a 60-member parliament that elects two captains regent every six months to serve jointly as heads of state, a power-sharing arrangement designed to prevent the concentration of authority.

The Pope also offered a message of encouragement to young Catholics, telling them they are "a sign that the future is promising, and not a threat!"

Leo is the third pope to visit San Marino, following St. John Paul II in 1982 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.