Vatican City: In a poignant moment at the close of his General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV issued a heartfelt appeal for peace, directly echoing the dramatic and unheeded words spoken by Pope Pius XII just days before the cataclysmic outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.
Drawing directly from the historic radio message delivered by Pope Pius XII on August 24, 1939, Pope Leo XIV invoked the very same phrase with which his predecessor desperately sought to avert global conflict: “Nothing is lost with peace. All may be lost with war.”
Pius XII, who had only been elected Pope months prior and served for nine years as Secretary of State under Pius XI, broadcast his urgent message from Castel Gandolfo at 7 p.m. that fateful day. The plea came after news reached the Vatican of the signing of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, an ominous development that made war seem all but inevitable.
In his 1939 address, Pius XII powerfully declared, “It is by the force of reason, not the force of arms, that justice makes its way. Empires not founded on justice are not blessed by God. Politics divorced from morality betrays those who promote it.” He added with palpable urgency, “The danger is imminent, but there is still time. Nothing is lost with peace. All may be lost with war. Let men return to mutual understanding. Let them resume negotiations. By negotiating with goodwill and respect for each other’s rights, they will find that sincere and effective agreements are always possible and can lead to honourable success.”
This profound speech was originally drafted by Giovanni Battista Montini, then-Substitute of the Secretariat of State, who would later ascend to the papacy as Pope Paul VI. Pius XII meticulously edited the text himself before delivering it, with Montini by his side.
Despite the impassioned and prophetic plea of Pope Pius XII, his voice tragically went unheard. Just days later, on September 1, 1939, German troops invaded Poland, igniting the Second World War.
By recalling these momentous words today, Pope Leo XIV seeks to illuminate the present with wisdom from the past, once again inviting the world to choose the path of dialogue over destruction, and peace over conflict. In an era increasingly marked by escalating tensions and outbreaks of violence, the Pontiff’s solemn reminder of his predecessor’s appeal resonates with profound and renewed urgency: the path to peace remains open, but it demands an unyielding commitment to courage, conscience, and genuine dedication.