In a new appeal for peace amid the conflicts shaking the world, Pope Leo XIV has stated that reconciliation among peoples requires, above all, a path of conversion and penance. In a message sent on the occasion of ‘St. Columbanus Day,’ celebrated this weekend in the Italian city of Lodi, the Pontiff affirmed that «only divine mercy can instill human mercy in hearts and make enemies extend their hands to one another».
The letter, dated July 2 and signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, was addressed to the Bishop of Lodi, Monsignor Maurizio Malvestiti, on the occasion of the XXVII edition of ‘St. Columbanus Day,’ an event dedicated to St. Columbanus, the sixth-century Irish abbot and one of the great evangelizers of Western Europe.
St. Columbanus and the Christian roots of Europe
Born in Ireland around the year 543, St. Columbanus undertook an intense missionary work across the European continent, where he founded numerous monasteries in what are now the territories of France, Switzerland, and Italy, including the famous monastery of Bobbio. His influence was decisive in the consolidation of Western monasticism and he is considered one of the great spiritual figures of Christian Europe.
Leo XIV congratulated the organizers for the perseverance with which this initiative has been maintained for nearly three decades, involving more and more ecclesial and civil communities linked to the saint in different European countries.
The Pope especially highlighted that the St. Columbanus Days have fostered encounters among people of different languages and nations, inviting them to rediscover together «the values of the Christian tradition» as a response to the challenges of the present.
Peace begins with conversion
Among these challenges, the Holy Father placed peace first. As he explained, St. Columbanus teaches an indispensable attitude for any process of reconciliation: penance.
Leo XIV pointed out that only those who humbly present themselves before God, acknowledging their own faults, both personal and collective, can embark on a true path toward peace.
In this regard, he warned that when a conflict degenerates into war, with its tragic toll of death and destruction, it is not enough to hold the adversary responsible.
«Instead of accusing one another, we must implore the mercy of God, the merciful judge», the Pontiff states in the letter, adding that «only divine mercy can instill human mercy in hearts and make enemies extend their hands to one another».
A message for Europe today
The words of Leo XIV come in an international context marked by the wars in Ukraine and the Holy Land, as well as other conflicts that continue to claim thousands of victims. In this scenario, the Pope once again insists on an idea present since the beginning of his pontificate: peace cannot rest solely on political or military agreements, but requires a genuine conversion of the heart.
The Pontiff added that St. Columbanus also teaches not to keep for oneself the gifts received from God, but to share them with all, fostering encounters among peoples and cultures from the Christian roots of Europe.
Recalling his recent visit to Codogno
In the final part of the letter, Leo XIV expressed his hope that ‘St. Columbanus Day’ may bear abundant spiritual fruits and recalled his recent visit to Codogno, in the diocese of Lodi, where he went to venerate St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
The Holy Father concluded by imparting the apostolic blessing to all participants and wishing that the example of St. Columbanus may continue to inspire Europe in the pursuit of unity, reconciliation, and peace.