In a thoughtful piece for Vida Nueva Digital, Nicolás Paz, Director of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, reflects on Pope Francis’ deep and consistent commitment to nonviolence as the heart of his spiritual legacy.

In the article, Nicolás Paz reminds us that nonviolence, for Pope Francis, is not just a political position or ethical ideal, it is a call to live differently. In Fratelli tutti, the pope urges Christians not to fall into the temptation of violence, but to embody the prophecy of Isaiah: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares.” He reminds us that true discipleship means confronting evil only with the weapons of love and truth.

In February 2022, during a dialogue with Latin American university students, Pope Francis told them: “We need the prophecy of nonviolence. This is the greatest challenge awaiting you.”  That prophecy, rooted in the Gospel and embodied throughout his pontificate, has become a spiritual testament for our time. From his first pastoral visit to Lampedusa in 2013, to his embrace of prisoners and migrants, to the image that went around the world in 2019 of him kneeling to kiss the feet of South Sudanese leaders, Francis has shown us how peace is built through gestures of humility, courage, and love.

Even in his final public messages, Pope Francis reaffirmed this vision, calling on the world to make nonviolence a guiding principle in daily life and international relations alike. His last visit, just days ago, was to those incarcerated at Regina Coeli prison in Rome, where he simply said: “I want to be close to you.”

This is the legacy Francis leaves us: a lived proclamation that peace is possible, and that each of us is called to be a sanctuary of nonviolence in a world marked by war, exclusion, and suffering.

Cover picture by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash