Pope Leo XIV has reiterated his call for Olympic peace at the start of the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
In a letter from the head of around 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide on Friday, Pope Leo strongly encouraged all nations to rediscover and respect the Olympic truce as an instrument of hope.
Leo – the first pope from the United States and an avid sports fan – emphasized the values that are conveyed through fair competition, and described sport as “an expression of our humanity.”
In his letter, entitled “Life in Abundance: On the Value of Sport”, he wrote that sport unites, does not focus solely on the result and recognizes the dignity of all participants.
He also wrote of the importance of an Olympic truce – a concept dating back to the ancient Olympics.
“The institution of the Truce stems from the conviction that participation in public games constitutes an individual and collective path toward virtue and excellence,” the pontiff explained.
“When we engage in sport with this spirit and under these conditions, it promotes the growth of fraternal solidarity and the common good.”
At the same time, the pope warned of the dangers of a one-sided fixation on performance and profit in sport.
“Problems arise when business becomes the primary or sole motivation. When this happens, decisions are no longer based on human dignity.”