Caritas in bello: alcuni cenni sull’intervento di Leone XIII nelle relazioni internazionali

This essay analyzes the figure of Pope Leo XIII (Gioacchino Pecci) as a key figure on the European diplomatic scene between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Beginning with the delicate transition following the death of Pius IX, it highlights how Leo XIII’s pontificate marked the overcoming of the Church’s isolation through a refined strategy of dialogue with the modern world. The key points highlighted in the essay include Pope Leo XIII’s decision, in captivitate electo, after the breach of Porta Pia, not to retreat into self-absorption but to act as a «diplomatic pontiff», redefining the role of the Holy See as the supreme moral authority capable of interacting with secular powers and reshaping papal sovereignty after the debellatio. This is done in the context of the post-1870 legal debate. Leo XIII, a sovereign without a kingdom, managed to transform this «spoliation» into a strength, consolidating the Holy See’s international subjectivity through the right of legation and the signing of concordats, with the intent and result of revitalizing international relations in the light of Caritas, suprema lex Ecclesiae. Through key documents such as the letter Praeclara Gratulationis, the Pope proposed a vision of positive peace, not as a simple truce, but as social justice inspired by Christian values. He grasped the scope of nascent globalization, linking missionary activity to the need for universal brotherhood among peoples. The essay concludes by outlining the figure of a «political» Pope who, while drawing on Thomistic theology and spiritual supremacy, in a fruitful blend of Innovation and Tradition, had the merit of adapting to the changing conditions of nations, laying the foundations for the modern Social Doctrine of the Church.