Pacem, Dei munus pulcherrimum
On May 23, 1920 Pope Benedict XV appeared at Pentecost . Under the name "Pacem, Dei munus pulcherrimum" (Latin: peace, the most beautiful gift of God), an encyclical for the first time , with which a Pope mainly dealt with the subject of peace .
Reconciliation instead of oppression
In the foreground of his considerations he saw the need for reconciliation between the victors and the vanquished of the First World War . This is why this encyclical has the subtitle “On Peace and Christian Reconciliation” . His idea was rooted in the thought that after a war, if you want to achieve peace, you have to stop suppressing your opponent. Benedict XV trusted - in this Apostolic Circular, which was later assigned to the peace encyclicals - in the common sense of diplomacy and in the fact that enemies can be reconciled . He demanded that the victorious powers should conclude a peace that did not immediately turn into a feeling of hatred, at the same time the Pope showed his interest in a “League of Nations idea”.
Unity of peoples
He opposed the national considerations of the great powers with the idea of the unity of all peoples : "The peoples are linked to one another by a natural bond of mutual dependence and mutual benevolence" (para. 16). All creatures of God are one family, children of God, and thus brothers and sisters to one another.
"United Nations"
This idea of the union of the peoples "into a single union", he calls it foederatis nationibus , this is the anticipated term of today's "United Nations". The Pope promises this “United Nations” the full and active assistance of the Church . Through the principle of order and the establishment of such an institution , the church possesses the “wonderful ability to connect people and not only in matters of faith” (para. 19). He understands this association of peoples, which stands up for the cause of justice and love , as the "perfect archetype of a universal society" (ibid.)
The concept of community of nations was introduced by Pope Pius XII. further developed after Pius XI. had placed his office under the theme of the peace of Christ ; John XXIII then explicitly recognized the UN Declaration of Human Rights in 1963, Pope Paul VI. visited the United Nations himself on October 4, 1965. This development was already through Benedict XV. initiated.
