Path of diplomacy

Benedict XV is frequently referred to as an overlooked pope. He warrants more recognition. Leading the Church during a pivotal time in global history, he addressed the immense human agony of the so-called war to end all wars with remarkable insight and empathy, while his diplomacy, although unsuccessful, signified the Holy See’s renewed involvement in significant global matters after a century of being sidelined.

Benedict XV at a glance
Born Giacomo Giambattista della Chiesa on Nov. 21, 1854 Ordained a priest in 1878, a bishop in 1907 and made a cardinal in 1914 Pope from Sept. 3, 1914-Jan. 22, 1922 Promulgated the first Code of Canon Law in 1917 Intensified the Vatican’s diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in response to World War I.

Giacomo della Chiesa was born in Pegli, Italy, on November 21, 1854, into a noble family that was far from affluent. His arrival was premature, and he grew up small in size and often unwell. His father, an attorney, wished for his son to pursue a career in law, leading him to comply and study law at the University of Genoa, where he obtained a doctorate in civil law in 1875. However, the young man’s inclinations ultimately triumphed, and he enrolled in the seminary, studying in Rome and earning doctorates in theology and canon law.

Ordained as a priest in 1878, he prepared for the papal diplomatic service at the “Accademia” — the Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics, where prospective Vatican diplomats received their education. During his time there, he captured the interest of Archbishop Mariano Rampolla, who appointed the young man as his secretary when he assumed the role of papal nuncio in Spain.

In 1887, Rampolla was appointed cardinal and secretary of state, while della Chiesa accompanied him back to Rome, ultimately rising to the role of undersecretary. He maintained that position under Pope St. Pius X and Rampolla’s successor, Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, until 1907, when the pope appointed him archbishop of Bologna, Italy — a move motivated, at least in part, by the intention to remove him from Rome. While Bologna was typically overseen by a cardinal, the complexities of Vatican politics postponed his promotion to that status until 1914.

Pius X passed away only three months afterwards, on Aug. 20. As is frequently the case in papal elections, the cardinals in the subsequent conclave sought a transformation, and, with conflict already in progress, turned to Cardinal della Chiesa, an experienced diplomat recognized for his opposition to the strategies of the prior pontiff.

Canon law, missions, conflict

While World War I and its subsequent consequences largely occupied the papacy of Benedict XV, he managed to address additional matters. Broadly speaking, he upheld the anti-modernist stance of his forerunner, albeit with markedly less strictness. (One of his realizations after ascending to the papacy was that the anti-modernist advocates had maintained a dossier even on him.) He issued the inaugural Code of Canon Law, the development of which had been initiated by Pius X. He made efforts to enhance church-state relations in France and Italy.

On Nov. 30, 1919, he released an encyclical, Maximum Illud, outlining a visionary approach to missionary activities. While praising foreign missionaries for their enthusiasm, the pope emphasized to those in charge of missions the significance of cultivating local clergy.

“Consequently, wherever there is an indigenous clergy, sufficient in both quantity and preparation … there the missionary’s efforts should be regarded as having reached a successful conclusion,” he stated. The encyclical warned missionaries to avoid associating their missions with the colonial aspirations of their nations. By these criteria, the pope noted, certain descriptions of missionary work provided “extremely distressing reading.”

However, it was the conflict that counted the most.

World War I commenced in 1914 with the belief that it would be a brief affair. Spiritual leaders fervently endorsed their nations’ military endeavors. Four years later, as the war ultimately came to an end, around 10 million troops and sailors had lost their lives, with many others sustaining injuries. After the hostilities, Winston Churchill provided this narration of the events:

“Neither nations nor leaders set limits on any action they believed might assist them in achieving victory. Germany, having unleashed chaos, remained at the forefront of terror, but she was closely trailed by the desperate and eventually vengeful nations she had attacked. … Torture and cannibalism were the only two methods that the cultured, technological Christian states had managed to restrain themselves from: and their effectiveness was questionable.”

Benedict XV was against the war from the beginning. His initial encyclical, along with subsequent ones, urgently urged for peace. Despite facing backlash from all parties involved in the conflict, the pope remained neutral — a stance deeply resented by fighters who believed they were all justified. Instead, the Holy See dedicated itself to alleviating the suffering. Its initiatives included establishing a dedicated office to gather information on prisoners of war and communicate it to their families, facilitating the rehabilitation of approximately 26,000 wounded and ill individuals in Switzerland, expending 82 million lire — an enormous amount at that time that significantly strained Vatican finances — on humanitarian assistance, and advocating for peace among the warring governments.

Pope Benedict demonstrated remarkable foresight in appointing two future popes for significant diplomatic roles following the war — the prefect of the Vatican Library, Archbishop Achille Ratti, as legate to Poland, and Archbishop Eugenio Pacelli of the Vatican Secretariat of State as nuncio in Munich and, shortly thereafter, in the newly formed German republic. Archbishop Ratti was destined to become Pius XI, taking over from Benedict XV. Archbishop Pacelli would later succeed Pius XI as Pius XII.

‘Courageous prophet’

And naturally, there was the pope’s proposal for peace. Its components encompassed: substantial reduction of armaments; mediation to resolve conflicts; unrestricted navigation of the seas; no compensation except in exceptional circumstances; reinstatement of Belgium’s territorial sovereignty and the return of other seized lands, including German colonies; amicable resolution of territorial disputes; and the reestablishment of independence for Poland, Armenia and the nations of the Balkans.

These measures, the pope stated, were essential to stop a war that had then turned into “a senseless slaughter” and to avert “the recurrence of such hostilities.” Several of the 14 points from Woodrow Wilson’s peace proposal appeared to reflect comparable ideas. However, the agreement of the allies at Versailles was sadly divergent: a resolution that imposed severe reparations that would debilitate Germany.

In his concluding remarks on peace proposals to national leaders, Pope Benedict stated, “The tranquility and joy of innumerable families, the future of thousands of youths, ultimately, the contentment of the nations, which it is your primary obligation to ensure, rests on your decisions.” The agreement that those leaders ultimately crafted was officially rejected by German dictator Adolf Hitler on March 16, 1935.

Among the afflictions that arose after the Great War was a global influenza outbreak in which countless individuals perished (estimates vary from 20 million to possibly 100 million). Benedict XV became infected with the virus and succumbed on Jan. 22, 1922, due to the pneumonia that ensued.

Although Benedict XV was mostly overlooked for the rest of the 20th century, in 2005, the newly chosen Pope Benedict XVI highlighted his namesake for commendation. While clarifying his selection of regnal name during his inaugural general audience, he remarked that Benedict XV “was a bold and genuine herald of peace and worked with valiant determination primarily to prevent the disaster of the conflict and subsequently to mitigate its damaging effects.”