After Lourdes, Leo XIV is in the city in north-eastern France for an interreligious meeting and another dedicated to the roots of Europe, peace and unity. “Across borders, it is always possible to meet,” he said, recalling Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the EU. Again: "We need to ask ourselves whether we are making 'creative efforts' to promote peace or whether we are trying to stem the bleeding of war." In the afternoon, mass in the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, then the return to Rome
Last day of Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to France. Today, Monday 28 September, the Pontiff arrived in Metz in the morning. As in Paris and Lourdes, thousands of pilgrims welcomed him. Among the events: an interreligious meeting, another dedicated to the roots of Europe, peace and unity, then mass in the Cathedral of Santo Stefano. Tonight the return to the Vatican. "You cannot invoke the name of God to legitimize violence," Leone said in Metz. “Across borders, it is always possible to meet, make friends and build peace", he added, paying homage to Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. Then the warning to Europe: "We must guard against the illusion of rearmament".
The Pope's program in Metz
The Pope's day began at 7.40 am, with departure by plane from Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées international airport towards Metz. Shortly after 9am, the Pontiff arrived at Metz-Nancy-Lorraine international airport. At 10am, at the "Robert Schuman" Congress Center in Metz, the Pontiff took part in an interreligious meeting, a moment of dialogue and discussion between representatives of different religious confessions. At 11am, again at the Congress Centre, the meeting "At the roots of Europe for peace and unity" was held, dedicated to the themes of peace, unity and the spiritual and cultural roots of Europe. In the afternoon, at 4pm, the Pope presides over the Holy Mass in the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Metz. At the end of the visit, at 6.30 pm, the farewell ceremony at the Metz-Nancy-Lorraine International Airport. Departure by plane for Rome at 7pm. Arrival at Fiumicino airport is scheduled for 8.50pm.
The Pope: “You cannot invoke God to legitimize violence”
After arriving in Metz, therefore, the Pope participated in the interreligious meeting in the "Robert Schuman" Congress Center. "Across borders, it is always possible to meet, make friends and build peace", said the Pontiff, paying homage to Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union. "This man of faith and conviction was able to transform old fault lines into bridges of hope for all of Europe, becoming a true ambassador of unity in diversity," he added. Then, addressing the representatives of the different faiths, Leone underlined: "Dialogue does not diminish our identity, but expresses it with simplicity and truth, opening up to the diversity of others". In another passage, the Pope underlined: "Invoking the name of God to legitimize violence or oppression constitutes a profanation of this name. Nothing that defaces human dignity can claim authentic divine inspiration. Religious discourse must constantly exhort us to disarm hearts and words."
The warning to Europe: "We must guard against the illusion of rearmament"
After the interreligious meeting, Leone spoke in another meeting dedicated to the theme "At the roots of Europe for peace and unity". Before his speech, again in the Robert Schuman congress center in Metz, the Ode to Joy, which is the official anthem of the European Union, resounded. "The search for peace in Europe, as in the rest of the world, must not be confused with naive irenism", said the Pope. Then he issued a warning: "We must guard against the illusion of rearmament". And a provocation: "Promoting peace is an active work. Today we must ask ourselves whether we are really making 'creative efforts' to promote world peace or whether we are simply trying to stem the bleeding of war and prepare ourselves better for those which we assume are yet to come". Again: "Unfortunately today the war has reappeared, even in Europe: a new 'useless massacre', which causes countless civilian victims every day." According to Leone, "international law and multilateralism underline the effective equality of states in their mutual relations and constitute the best antidote to the desire for domination, which is at the origin of every conflict. Today, human relations and relations between states are becoming more and more barbaric. The value of the word given is despised; we rather pride ourselves on lies and deception. Europe can put an end to this spiral thanks to the respect for others that it has been able to cultivate and preserve".
