Olympics - Pope Leo calls for peace initiatives during Milano Cortina Games
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on February 1, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 1, 2026
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on February 1, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 1, 2026
Pope Leo calls for peace during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, urging world leaders to promote dialogue and de-escalation.
VATICAN CITY, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Pope Leo urged world leaders on Sunday to use the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics to promote peace, calling on those in authority to take concrete steps toward de-escalation and dialogue.
Milan and the Alpine resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo will co-host the Games from February 6 to 22.
After his weekly Angelus prayer, the pope said major sporting events including the Olympic Games carried a "powerful message of fraternity" and could rekindle hope for "a world at peace", recalling the ancient tradition of the Olympic truce.
"The Olympic truce is an ancient custom that accompanies the holding of the Games," he said.
"I hope that those who care about peace among peoples and hold positions of authority will take concrete steps on this occasion toward de‑escalation and dialogue," he added.
(Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro; Editing by David Holmes)
The Olympic Truce is an ancient tradition that calls for peace during the Olympic Games, encouraging nations to cease hostilities and promote dialogue.
The Pope often calls for peace and dialogue among nations, using significant events like the Olympics to encourage world leaders to pursue peaceful resolutions.
The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from February 6 to 22.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category

