Pope Leo XIV called for a truce during the 2026 Winter Olympics
Kyiv • UNN
Pope Leo XIV called for an Olympic truce at the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. He emphasized the values of fair competition and called sport "an expression of our humanity."
Pope Leo XIV has once again called for an Olympic peace at the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. This was reported by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, writes UNN.
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In a letter published on Friday on behalf of the world's approximately 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Leo strongly urged all nations to rediscover and respect the Olympic truce as an instrument of hope.
Leo — the first US pope and an avid sports fan — emphasized the values conveyed through fair competition and called sport "an expression of our humanity."
In his letter titled "Life in Abundance: On the Value of Sport," he noted that sport unites, does not focus exclusively on results, and recognizes the dignity of all participants.
He also emphasized the importance of the Olympic truce — a concept dating back to the ancient Olympic Games.
"The institution of the Truce stems from the conviction that participation in public games constitutes an individual and collective path to virtue and excellence," the pontiff explained.
"When we engage in sports with this spirit and under such conditions, it contributes to the growth of fraternal solidarity and the common good."
At the same time, the Pope warned against the dangers of a one-sided focus on results and profit in sports.
"Problems arise when business becomes the primary or sole motivation. When this happens, decisions are no longer based on human dignity."