Amid ‘Terrorism, Nihilism,’ Benedict Seeks Path to Peace

Roman Catholics embarked Sunday on a new year with a new pope, who used the day’s festivities to urge stronger faith in God as a way to make peace in a world threatened by “terrorism, nihilism and fanatic fundamentalism.”

Benedict XVI, presiding over the first New Year’s Day program of his papacy, led a morning Mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica and afterward addressed thousands of pilgrims gathered in the square outside. The Vatican marks Jan. 1 annually by celebrating World Day of Peace, a theme that infused Benedict’s comments Sunday.

“A leap of courage and of faith in God and in mankind” are crucial to promoting global peace, the pope said.

It is the duty of everyone -- of individuals, world powers and international organizations -- to take up the cause, he said, singling out the United Nations and its responsibility to further justice and solidarity in a world confronting the “phenomenon of globalization.”

“Faced with situations of injustice and violence that continue to oppress many regions of the planet, there exist new and even more insidious threats to peace -- terrorism, nihilism and fanatic fundamentalism -- that make it all the more necessary to work together for peace,” Benedict said.

Dressed in a gold miter and white robes, his trademark red leather shoes poking out from underneath, the pope celebrated Mass inside the marble walls of the basilica for a congregation that included diplomats, bishops and cardinals.

The pope appeared somewhat subdued; he hid a white handkerchief inside one of his wide sleeves and frequently pulled it out to wipe his nose or smother a cough. At the conclusion of the Mass, a choir sang “O Come All Ye Faithful” as Benedict led a procession from the church.

Later, in an address from the window of his apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Benedict again stressed the link between faith and the ability to foster peace. He then read a short message of salutation in an assortment of languages to the crowd, huddled beneath colorful umbrellas raised against a driving rain.

In observance of World Day of Peace, the pope also released a 16-point address, one of his key messages of the year, that exhorted nations to end armed conflicts and the nuclear arms race, and to respect international humanitarian law.

Though Benedict did not mention a specific country, his comments came at a time when Europe is concerned about reports of the U.S. using secret prisons and allegations of abuse inside U.S. detention facilities. The speech was released in December but dated Jan. 1, 2006.

Despite the “senseless and deadly strategies” of terrorists, the pontiff said, those engaged in the fight against terrorism must not forget the basic laws of human rights.

“International humanitarian law ought to be considered as one of the finest and most effective expressions of the intrinsic demands of the truth of peace,” the pope said. “Precisely for this reason, respect for that law must be considered binding on all peoples.”

In assessing the state of conflicts worldwide, Benedict said there were signs of some progress in parts of the Middle East, Africa and Asia but these developments should not lead to “naive optimism.”

“It must not be forgotten that, tragically, violent fratricidal conflicts and devastating wars still continue to sow tears and death in vast parts of the world,” he said. “Situations exist where conflict, hidden like flame beneath ashes, can flare up anew and cause immense destruction.”