In his first visit as pontiff to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy on April 27, 2026, Pope Leo XIV delivered a clear message to the Holy See’s future diplomats: their role is strategic, yet also deeply pastoral.
Founded in 1701 under Pope Clement XI and located near Rome’s historic center, the Academy trains priests for diplomatic service across the globe. Its alumni go on to serve as apostolic nuncios — effectively ambassadors of the pope — tasked with representing the Holy See in both ecclesial and international arenas. Today, the institution is led by Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, with oversight from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Pope's secretary of state.
The Vatican's diplomatic apparatus is both incredibly widespread and also uniquely placed. The Holy See has formal relations with 184 states, to which must be added the European Union and the Order of Malta. That leaves only 12 countries that do not have formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See -- including China, Afghanistan, and North Korea. These diplomatic offices are complemented by the Church's hands-on work in the majority of the world's countries, such as nuns on the ground serving disadvantaged communities.
Marking the Academy’s 325th anniversary, Leo XIV emphasized continuity with reforms initiated under Pope Francis, particularly the focus on unity as the defining feature of Vatican diplomacy. “Every reform,” he noted, has aimed to preserve this essential mission.
A diplomatic vocation shaped by global tensions
The Pope’s address comes at a time when international conflict remains widespread. According to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, more than 50 state-based conflicts were active worldwide in 2024, the highest number since World War II. Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that over 120 million people are currently forcibly displaced due to war and persecution.
Against this backdrop, Leo XIV framed Vatican diplomacy as a “special vocation at the service of peace, truth, and justice.” He urged future nuncios to continue proclaiming the Christian message of peace even when “dialogue and reconciliation seem to vanish.”
Beyond policy: a pastoral identity
The Pope insisted that the Holy See’s representatives must be “pastors first, diplomats second.” This approach distinguishes Vatican envoys from their secular counterparts. Rather than advancing national interests, they are expected to embody a moral and spiritual witness — particularly in complex geopolitical environments.
Leo XIV also warned against reducing diplomacy to abstract principles. Instead, he called for a concrete, relational presence rooted in listening, humility, and personal integrity.
“The most important reform,” he said, “is personal conversion.”
Defending fundamental rights
A significant portion of the address focused on human dignity. The Pope highlighted religious freedom and the right to life as essential priorities for Vatican diplomats, encouraging them to promote justice not through confrontation but through patient engagement.
This emphasis aligns with broader global concerns. A 2025 report from Pew Research Center found that government restrictions on religion remain high in nearly 60 countries, affecting billions of people. The Holy See has long advocated for religious liberty as a cornerstone of peaceful societies.
Pope Leo's recent take on Vatican diplomacy
Here's what he said:
I would go back to something I said in my initial remarks about the importance of understanding the primary purpose of the travel that I do, that the Pope does, to visit the people, and of the great value that the system, that the Holy See continues with, at times, great sacrifice, to maintain diplomatic relations with countries throughout the world. And sometimes we have diplomatic relationships with countries that have authoritarian leaders.
We have the opportunity to speak with them on a diplomatic level, on a formal level. We don't always make great proclamations—criticizing, judging, or condemning. But there’s an awful lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to promote justice, to promote humanitarian causes, to look for, at times, situations where there may be political prisoners, and finding a way for them to be freed. Situations of hunger, of sickness, etc.
So the Holy See, by maintaining, if you will, a neutrality and looking for ways to continue our positive diplomatic relationship with so many different countries, we’re actually trying to find a way to apply the Gospel to concrete situations so that the lives of people can be improved.
People will interpret the rest of it as they will, but I think it’s important for us to look for the best way that we can to try and help the people of any given country.
Perseverance in a conflicted world
Acknowledging the frustration that can accompany diplomatic work, Leo XIV encouraged students not to lose heart, even when their efforts appear ineffective. While governments often default to conflict as a means of resolving tensions, he argued, persistence in dialogue remains essential.
The visit signals an early priority of his pontificate: strengthening the Church’s global diplomatic presence while maintaining its distinct identity. As new conflicts emerge and old ones persist, the formation of Vatican diplomats — rooted in both faith and realism — continues to play a quiet but influential role on the international stage.
