Written by Nicole Winfield
Rome (AP)As he commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords, the historic Cold War-era pact that ushered in a new age of security and human rights, Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday urged for a renewed commitment to using diplomacy to resolve crises.
The first American pope in history concluded his general audience by stating that August 1st is the anniversary of the completion of the 35-nation summit in Finland that produced the Helsinki Final Act, which led to the creation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe years later.
Leo reiterated his call for global peace, saying that it is more important than ever to uphold the spirit of Helsinki, continue communication, foster collaboration, and make diplomacy the go-to method for averting and resolving disputes.
U.S. President Gerald Ford, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, and other leaders signed a historic pledge to peace, East-West relations, European security, and human rights during a summit hosted by Finnish President Urho Kekkonen during the height of the Cold War detente in the 1970s.
According to Leo, the accord has ushered in a new geopolitical era that favors East-West rapprochement. It signaled a resurgence of interest in human rights, with a focus on religious freedom, which is regarded as a cornerstone of the emerging framework of collaboration between Vancouver and Vladivostok.
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Leo remembered that the Holy See had sent a team to the Finnish summit, led by future Secretary of State Archbishop Agostino Casaroli, who is most recognized for advocating and adopting an Ostpolitik strategy, or openness and communication with Eastern Europe, in light of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Leo also voiced his disgust in his remarks on Wednesday on the violent assault on a Catholic church in eastern Congo by Islamic State-backed fighters. During a prayer vigil last weekend, at least 38 people were killed in the church while they worshipped, including nine children and 15 women.
I pray for the injured and for Christians who continue to face violence and persecution worldwide, while I entrust the victims to God’s compassionate mercy. I also urge everyone in charge, both locally and globally, to work together to stop such tragedies, he said.
After a weeks-long summer hiatus, Leo’s weekly interaction with the faithful resumed Wednesday with the broader audience. Given that tens of thousands of pilgrims were coming to town for a week-long commemoration of the Holy Year for young Catholics, St. Peter’s Square was very crowded.
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