On Friday, Pope Leo XIV called on the world to respect the Olympic Truce, just hours before the official opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan Cortina, scheduled to run until February 22.
The Pope wrote in a message: “I strongly encourage all nations (…) to rediscover and respect this tool for hope that is the Olympic Truce, a symbol and prophecy of a reconciled world.”
Winter Olympic Games Competitions
The competitions of the Milan – Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games officially began on Wednesday with the mixed doubles curling event, two days before the official opening ceremony of the Olympic event.
The first day of competition featured four matches in the curling program, an early indication of the competitive atmosphere among participating nations before the official curtain-raising on the Games at the anticipated opening ceremony.
The Winter Olympic Games competitions are scheduled to continue until February 22, during which 116 gold medals will be contested across various winter sports, featuring a selection of the world’s top athletes.
Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV is not a recognized historical pope in the Catholic Church; the last pope to use the name Leo was Leo XIII, who died in 1903. The name sometimes appears in fictional contexts or lists of antipopes, but it holds no official place in the papal lineage.
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games are a major international multi-sport event held every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. First held in 1924 in Chamonix, France, the Games have evolved to include a wide variety of disciplines and have been hosted by nations across the globe.
Milan Cortina
Milan Cortina refers to the joint bid and successful hosting of the 2026 Winter Olympics by the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. This marks the second time Italy has hosted the Winter Games, following Cortina’s initial hosting in 1956, while Milan is a major global metropolis. The event leverages Cortina’s historic alpine heritage and Milan’s modern infrastructure.
Milan
Milan is a major city in northern Italy, historically founded by the Celts and later becoming a powerful center of the Roman Empire. It is globally renowned as a fashion and design capital, while also housing significant cultural landmarks such as the Duomo cathedral and Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco *The Last Supper*.
Cortina
Cortina d’Ampezzo is a renowned resort town in the Dolomites of northern Italy, historically part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918. It gained international fame as the host of the 1956 Winter Olympics and remains a premier destination for skiing, alpine tourism, and luxury.
Olympic Truce
The Olympic Truce is an ancient Greek tradition dating back to the 8th century BCE, established to ensure a cessation of hostilities and safe passage for athletes and spectators during the Olympic Games. Today, the International Olympic Committee revives this concept by calling for a symbolic global truce during each modern Olympiad to promote peace and international understanding.
