MONACO (RNS) — In a tiny European country where 1 in 3 residents are millionaires, Pope Leo XIV called for the responsible use of wealth and condemned the “idolatry of power and money,” delivering a moral appeal from one of the world’s richest enclaves.
“Every talent, every opportunity and every good placed in our hands has a universal destination; it bears an intrinsic need not to be held back, but to be shared, so that everyone’s life may be better,” the pope said in his first speech in Monaco on Saturday (March 28).
Leo’s words echoed through the square in front of the prince’s palace, overlooking skyscrapers and the Monaco Grand Prix racetrack. A small but enthusiastic crowd, waving the yellow and white Vatican colors, watched his remarks.
The pope’s emphasis on poverty and humility was also exemplified in the gifts he brought to Prince Albert II of Monaco and the local archdiocese: sacred images representing the medieval St. Francis of Assisi, known for renouncing his wealth to follow his faith.
Monaco only extends 0.81 square miles and counts 38,000 residents. But the city-state, the second smallest after Vatican City, exercises an outsized influence in the world. It’s a major financial hub, and the country employs over 70,000 people from 150 nations.
“The gift of smallness and a living spiritual heritage invite you to put your prosperity at the service of law and just …