The Power of Sport and the Olympic Truce

Pope Francis has frequently emphasized the Olympic Games as a platform for peace. On the Sunday before the beginning of the games, the Holy Father highlighted the “great social power of sport,” which unites people from different cultures peacefully. He expressed his hope that the Games might be a chance to establish a truce in ongoing wars.

Pope Francis stated, “I hope that this event may be a beacon of the inclusive world we want to build and that athletes, with their sporting testimony, may be messengers of peace and authentic models for young people. In particular, as is the custom of this ancient tradition, may the Olympic Games be an occasion to call for a cease-fire in wars, demonstrating a sincere desire for peace.”

Mass of Peace and Diplomatic Support

A Mass of Peace marked the start of the UN-supported Olympic Truce for the Paris Games. This initiative was spearheaded by the French Bishops' Conference, the Archdiocese of Paris, and the Holy Games team. Attendees included diplomats, sports personalities, and the president of the International Olympic Committee.

In a recent interview with EWTN News, the French Ambassador to the Holy See reiterated that “Olympism is first and foremost a message of peace.” Ms. Florence Mangin, Ambassador of France to the Holy See, stated, “Sports and the Olympics are indeed moments of great effort, performance, and achievement, but everything is based on the respect for others, the respect for different nations, and the respect for each other's performance. Games can be individual or collective, but it is about doing something together. As you know, the Olympic motto is ‘faster, higher, stronger,’ but also the word ‘together’ can be added to the motto, and that completely sums up the philosophy of the Olympics.”

Reviving the Ancient Tradition of the Olympic Truce

The tradition of the “Olympic Truce” originates from Ancient Greece, where a truce was declared to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators traveling to and from the Games. Revived in 1992, the modern Olympic truce aims to protect the interests of athletes and use sport to promote peace and dialogue.

This year's truce, voted by the United Nations, began on July 19, one week before the opening ceremony of the Games, and will end one week after the conclusion of the Paralympics on September 8. Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, commented, “The Olympic Truce, which is one of the most beautiful expressions of the Olympic spirit, is a seed of peace planted in this world. Amidst all conflicts and divisions, it is a moment during which hands are freed from weapons to build peace [...] and this offers hope that the Olympic Truce may inspire political and human truces, making the world a more fraternal place, as Pope Francis continually urges.”

Adapted by Jacob Stein