Pope Leo traveled to Monaco on Saturday for a historic day-long visit to the Mediterranean microstate, where he delivered a pointed message to the wealthy enclave’s billionaire residents about sharing their fortunes with those less fortunate.
During his address to Monaco’s royal family and prominent citizens, the pontiff declared, “In God’s eyes, nothing is received in vain! Every good placed in our hands… bears an intrinsic need not to be held back, but to be shared, so that everyone’s life may be better.”
The papal visit marked the first time a pope had set foot in the prosperous principality in almost 500 years. Leo made the journey via a 90-minute helicopter flight from Vatican City and began his visit with a meeting with Prince Albert, Monaco’s ruler and son of former Hollywood actress Grace Kelly.
The pope’s symbolic gift to Prince Albert reinforced his message about wealth and charity. Leo presented the prince with a vibrant mosaic artwork depicting St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century Italian saint who famously abandoned his family’s riches to serve the poor.
Monaco holds the distinction of being the world’s second-smallest nation after Vatican City and ranks among the few remaining countries where Catholicism serves as the official state religion. The tiny principality also boasts the globe’s highest per-capita concentration of billionaires.
Speaking from Prince Albert’s official palace, a medieval fortress featuring opulent apartments that overlook the azure Mediterranean Sea, Leo challenged Monaco’s wealthy inhabitants to “put your prosperity at the service of law and justice.”
The 70-year-old Leo, who became the first American pope when he was elected in May following the death of Pope Francis, now leads the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion faithful worldwide. This Monaco trip represents just his second international journey since taking office, though it launches what promises to be an active travel schedule.
Despite his age, Leo remains in robust health for a pontiff and has ambitious travel plans ahead. He is scheduled to embark on a comprehensive four-nation African tour in April, followed by a week-long visit to Spain in June.
