Pope Francis recently gave a speech during his three-day trip to Hungary where he criticized the rising nationalism and “adolescent belligerence” in Europe. The pope arrived in Budapest earlier last Friday and reminded the audience of the ideals behind the founding of the European Union. Hungary currently finds itself at odds with the bloc over issues of migration and more support to Ukraine.
During his trip, Pope Francis met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a strong proponent of taking in migrants, ahead of his speech. The visit was expected to include discussions of the conflict in Ukraine. The pope was also set to discuss migration issues, some of these directly related to the war for Hungary, which has a comparatively short border with Ukraine, as well as Hungary’s tense relations with the European Union.
This is Pope Francis’s first trip since he was hospitalized for bronchitis in March. He urged European nations to “look beyond national boundaries” and extended calls for the EU to embrace migrants who flee to the richer continent in search of better lives. He reminded the audience of the “European soul” which the founders of modern Europe envisioned after World War II.
“We seem to be witnessing the sorry sunset of that choral dream of peace, as the soloists of war now take over,” Francis said. “At this historical juncture, Europe is crucial. It is called to take up its proper role, which is to unite those far apart, to welcome those other peoples and refuse to consider anyone an eternal enemy.”
The pope also reiterated his condemnation of the war in Ukraine and calls for peace. During his trip, he also met with Hungarian President Katalin Novak on Friday and planned to meet some 35,000 Ukrainian refugees who are based in Hungary. Around 2.5 million Ukrainians crossed into Hungary shortly after Russia’s invasion last year.
Pope Francis tends to be less explicitly political in public than more typical national leaders, but he has often spoken out on migration and called for a more compassionate approach. On the other hand, Orban is known for leading anti-migration notions within Europe. Despite their differing views, Orban said on Twitter that he was looking forward to the pope’s visit and their Friday appointment.
“In troubled times like ours, it is essential to remember what keeps us together, and faith is the foundation upon which we can build a stable future,” the Hungarian prime minister said.
The pope is also scheduled to lead an open-air mass outside of parliament on Sunday.
