Marking anniversary of Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Pope offers vision for Vatican diplomacy
January 19, 2026
In a letter marking the 325th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Pope Leo XIV offered his vision of Vatican diplomacy, one in which priests of “deep spirituality” listen and build bridges.
Founded in 1701, the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy is the place where young priests are trained for the diplomatic service of the Holy See. In Pope Leo’s words, it offers “a formative curriculum that, with a solid scientific base, is able to integrate legal, historical, political, economic and linguistic skills and to combine them with the human and priestly gifts of young presbyters.”
“The diplomatic service is not a profession but a pastoral vocation: it is the evangelical art of encounter, which seeks paths of reconciliation where men raise walls and mistrust,” Pope Leo wrote. “Indeed, our diplomacy is born of the Gospel: it consists not of tactics, but of thoughtful charity; it seeks neither winners nor losers, it does not build barriers, but rebuilds authentic bonds.”
“To build this communion, every word spoken must be preceded by listening: listening to God and listening to the little ones, to those whose voices are often not heard,” the Pope continued. “The Pope’s diplomats are called to be bridges: invisible bridges to support, solid bridges when events seem difficult to contain, and bridges of hope when goodness falters.”
Pope Leo added:
Imitating Saint Anthony the Abbot, your patron, who knew how to transform the silence of the desert into fruitful dialogue with God, be priests of deep spirituality, to draw from prayer the strength of the encounter with others. And as your gaze opens to the mission that awaits you, I entrust each of you to Mary, Mother of the Church, that she may watch over you and make you docile to God’s will in your service to the See of Peter.
The Pope issued his letter on January 17, the memorial of St. Anthony, the abbot who is patron saint of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
