Pope Leo XIV travels Saturday to the principality of Monaco, becoming the first pope in nearly five centuries to visit the glitzy Mediterranean enclave and highlighting how small states can punch above their weight on the global stage. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the visit would provide the American pope with his first real chance to speak to all of Europe. “In the Bible, it is precisely the small ones who play a significant role,” Bruni said. Monaco is also one of the few European countries where Catholicism is the official state religion. And Prince Albert recently refused a proposal to legalise abortion, citing the important role Catholicism plays in Monaco society.
Abortion is highly restricted in microstates such as Monaco, Andorra
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Cover image: © France 24
