Pope tells ‘elderly’ Europe to be a leader again

FE Team | Published: November 26, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

STRASBOURG, Nov 25 (AFP): Pope Francis urged an "elderly" Europe to overcome economic crises and rising nationalism to reclaim a global leadership role as he paid a lightning visit to European institutions in Strasbourg Tuesday.
In a speech to the European Parliament, the Argentinian pontiff also called on the EU to help migrants fleeing the Middle East and Africa, saying it must not allow the Mediterranean to become a "vast cemetery."
It was the first papal visit to the French city since John-Paul II in 1988, but where his predecessor came at the end of the Cold War, Francis faces a more secular and eurosceptic continent riven by divisions and fears about the economy.
"Europe seems to give the impression of being somewhat elderly and haggard, feeling less and less a protagonist in a world which frequently regards it with aloofness," the 77-year-old pope told European lawmakers.
"We encounter a general impression of weariness and ageing, of a Europe which is now a 'grandmother', no longer fertile and vibrant."
He added: "The time has come for us to abandon the idea of a Europe which is fearful and self-absorbed, in order to revive and encourage a Europe of leadership."
Bells rang out from Catholic churches across Strasbourg to mark his visit, including the historic city-centre Cathedral, where hundreds of the faithful watched his speech on giant screens set up in front of the building.
But the crowd-loving Francis unusually left his popemobile behind and dedicated his time to addressing the European Parliament and the Council of Europe in a four-hour trip, the shortest abroad by any pope.
On his arrival at the huge glass and steel parliament building, Francis and European Parliament President Martin Schulz stood side by side for a flag-raising ceremony while a military band played the European anthem.
The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics was also meeting briefly with new European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and outgoing European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.