US EditionChristian Archaeology Can Serve Evangelization, Pope Says in Document
Pope Leo XIV calls on Christian archaeology to preserve Church origins and promote ecumenism, highlighting its role in evangelization, catechesis, and cultural diplomacy.
- On December 11, Pope Leo XIV released an apostolic letter on archaeology for the Pontifical Institute's centenary and met its members at the Vatican.
- Framing archaeology as a tool for evangelization, the letter stresses Christian archaeology underpins catechetical and theological formation and engages young people, lay people and priests by grounding faith in history.
- Describing archaeology as sensory, Pope Leo XIV said it educates us in a theology of the senses by focusing on relics, catacombs of St. Domitilla, ancient basilicas, and reliquaries with St. Peter shards.
- He urged leaders to act by inviting bishops and cultural leaders to promote archaeological study at the Pontifical Institute, and called for cooperation among pontifical archaeological bodies.
- He described archaeology as a 'ministry of hope,' linking the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology's 1925 founding and his recent visit to Iznik to Europe's cultural investment amid crises.
12 Articles
12 Articles
‘God Has Truly Entered History’: Pope Leo Praises Christian Archaeology
Simone Risoluti Pope Leo celebrates Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12 at the Vatican. In new document, the Pope says archaeology not only provides historical data but also allows theology to remain rooted in the concrete reality of the people of God, capable of ‘bringing to light anonymous holiness.’
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Christian archaeology can serve evangelization, pope says in document
The Vatican released Pope Leo's apostolic letter "on the importance of archaeology," Dec. 11, "on the occasion of the centenary of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology," which was founded by Pope Pius XI in 1925
In the centenary of the Pontifical Institute wanted by Pius XI in 1925 the pontiff published a letter on the importance of this discipline for the Church. Archaeology has a "sensorial" task to "touch, see, listen to the Word made flesh." He teaches that "nothing that has been touched by faith is insignificant." And he supports the memory: "Who knows his own history, knows who he is."
Pope: Cultural diplomacy can build bridges and overcome prejudices
Marking the 100th anniversary of the Pontifical Institute for Christian Archaeology, Pope Leo XIV invites students and faculty to engage in cultural diplomacy, serve as a tool for ecumenism through their work and be a reminder of Europe’s Christian roots. Read all
The Pontiff places the science of the ruins as a form of charity: a way to restore dignity to the forgotten, to rescue the memory of life...
The Holy Father writes about the importance of Christian archaeology not only for theological sciences but for all who seek to understand and deepen their faith in his apostolic letter on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology. Pope Leo XIV recalls that this discipline makes faith tangible and helps cultivate the memory of its origins, and that it can also be an important tool. …
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