To mark the first anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV and the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul,

His Excellency Archbishop Luciano Suriani, Apostolic Nuncio and Head of the Diplomatic Mission of the Holy See to the Republic of Bulgaria, hosted a reception on 30 June at Vivacom Art Hall Oborishte 5 in Sofia.

As in previous years, the venue welcomed a distinguished gathering of guests, including representatives of various religious communities, government officials, ambassadors, diplomats, cultural figures, and members of the media.

Addressing the audience, Archbishop Suriani reflected on several key aspects of the ministry and teaching of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, who marked the first anniversary of his election on 8 May.

"From the very night of his election, when he greeted the world for the first time with the words of the Risen Christ: “Peace be with you!”, Pope Leo XIV has placed peace at the center of his Petrine Magisterium, referring to it more than 400 times over the course of the year. I would like to mention just three of them.

Last November, during his Apostolic Journey to Turkey and Lebanon — his first outside Italy — in an address to the Authorities, Representatives of Civil Society, and the Diplomatic Corps in Beirut, he said: “Here peace is a desire and a vocation; it is a gift and a work in progress. You are invested with authority in this country, each in your own area and with specific roles. It is in light of this authority that I wish to address to you the words of Jesus that have been chosen as the central theme of my journey: “Blessed are the peacemakers!” (Mt 5:9) … Indeed, peace is much more than a mere balance – which is always precarious – among those who live separately while under the same roof. Peace is knowing how to live together, in communion, as reconciled people. A reconciliation that, in addition to enabling us to live together, will teach us to work together for a shared future side by side”. This vision of peace, the fruit of dialogue and reconciliation among individuals, peoples, and nations, remains, unfortunately, merely an aspiration in many parts of the world afflicted by the scourge of war and conflict.

In January, in his annual address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, Pope Leo expressed his concern regarding the current state of international relations. He stated: “In our time, the weakness of multilateralism is a particular cause for concern at the international level.  A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies.  War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading… Peace is no longer sought as a gift and a desirable good in itself, or in the pursuit of “the establishment of the ordered universe willed by God, with a more perfect form of justice among men and women.” Instead, peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion”.

In April, during his Apostolic Journey to various countries in Africa—the continent that gave the world St. Augustine, his spiritual father—Pope Leo reiterated his heartfelt appeal for everyone to commit themselves to peace, promoting a culture of solidarity and fraternity. Speaking in Cameroon, he said: “Blessed are the peacemakers! But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.… We must make a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity. The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters! They are the descendants of Abraham, as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Let us look into each other’s eyes: we are this immense people! Peace is not something we must invent: it is something we must embrace by accepting our neighbor as our brother and as our sister. We do not choose our brothers and sisters: we simply must accept one another! We are one family, inhabiting the same home: this wonderful planet that ancient cultures have cared for across millennia.”

These incessant appeals from Pope Leo are addressed to all of us, so that we do not let ourselves be discouraged by the troubling situation surrounding us, but may work, every day, to be agents of peace, reconciliation, and fraternity in our fragmented and wounded world."

The address delivered by His Excellency Archbishop Luciano Suriani prompted thoughtful reflection among those present and became the subject of many conversations throughout the evening. As always, the reception was marked by an atmosphere of ethical diplomacy, fraternal fellowship, and understated elegance.

The following day, the Apostolic Nuncio, together with the Catholic bishops of Bulgaria, celebrated a Eucharistic Liturgy in the Co-Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sofia, where prayers were offered for Pope Leo XIV, for peace throughout the world, and for the needs of the Bulgarian people.

Photos: Courtesy of the Embassy of the Holy See in Bulgaria.