Overview
- The U.S.-born pope visited the microstate Saturday, telling the royal family and residents to put prosperity at the service of law, justice and the poor.
- He arrived by helicopter, met Prince Albert and Princess Charlene at the palace, addressed crowds from the balcony, visited the cathedral and later celebrated Mass at Louis II Stadium for an expected 15,000 people.
- In remarks and a homily, he condemned widening gaps between rich and poor and urged defense of life in all its forms, a theme resonant in Monaco where Albert recently vetoed abortion liberalization.
- Authorities budgeted about €5–6 million for the one-day operation and deployed more than 90 percent of police and firefighters, while crowds gathered along Grimaldi Street and in the stadium.
- The choice of a wealthy enclave drew mixed reactions in Catholic media, yet the Vatican framed the visit as a platform for peace and environmental priorities and as a prelude to trips to Africa in April and Spain in June.