By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Leo XIV, in his first address to world diplomats at the Vatican, said on Friday that the dignity of migrants had to be respected, while also calling on nations to halt the production of weapons and prioritize peace efforts.
The pope, who comes from the United States and lived for many years in Peru, described himself as a "descendant of immigrants" and called for compassion and solidarity with displaced persons.
Pope Leo also used his speech to restate the Church's traditional teaching on marriage, affirming that it is a "stable union between a man and a woman" and underscoring the importance of family as a foundation for harmony in society.
Leo, who was elected pope last week, wove his speech around the themes of peace, justice, religious freedom, the root causes of conflicts, and the need for multi-lateral diplomacy.
He said his experience of having lived in North and South America and his world travels had given him the ability to "transcend borders in order to encounter different peoples and cultures".
Leo also indicated that he would continue in the tradition of his predecessors to travel the world.
He reaffirmed the Church's position against abortion and said the Church would not hesitate to use "blunt language" to speak the truth to the powerful of the world.
He specifically mentioned only the Middle East and Ukraine, saying they were two of the places where people were suffering "most grievously" today.
(Reporting by Philip Pullella, Editing Crispian Balmer)
