Vatican’s Cardinal Parolin visits Denmark, urging respect for sovereignty and multilateralism amid U.S.–Europe tensions over Greenland.
Newsroom (28/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a visit blending faith, diplomacy, and geopolitics, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin concluded a two-day mission to Denmark on January 26, meeting with King Frederik X and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen amid mounting anxiety over Greenland’s sovereignty and the growing rift between Europe and the United States.
Although official statements were sparse, the Danish king posted a photograph with the Vatican envoy on Instagram, signaling the cordial tone of their encounter. Rasmussen also shared a brief note online, saying he and the cardinal discussed “a number of the world’s current challenges” alongside meetings with European Commissioner Jozef Sikela and Greenlandic representative Tove Søvndahl Gant.
A Visit Rooted in History and Faith
Parolin traveled to Denmark as Pope Leo XIV’s papal legate to mark the 1,200th anniversary of the mission of St. Ansgar—the “Apostle of the North”—whose evangelizing work laid the groundwork for Christianity in Scandinavia. During a solemn Mass at Copenhagen Cathedral on January 25, Parolin invoked St. Ansgar’s example, urging that the Church’s credibility rests not on power but on service and justice.
“The Church remains credible not because of power, numbers, or strategies,” he said, “but when faith becomes a lived witness, expressed and translated into concrete acts of liberation, justice, and mercy.”
He cited St. Ansgar’s perseverance in the face of Viking resistance as a model for modern believers navigating fragile global conditions where faith, diplomacy, and ethics must converge.
Sovereignty and the Strains of Modern Diplomacy
The cardinal’s trip unfolded against a tense geopolitical backdrop. Since U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a framework deal with NATO on Greenland’s defense posture—hinting at increased American influence—European leaders have moved to reaffirm unity and the sovereignty of the Arctic island under Denmark’s domain.
Concrete details of the U.S.–NATO arrangement remain undisclosed, but signs of unease have rippled through European capitals. France’s President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Copenhagen a day after Parolin’s departure, reinforcing “European solidarity” and pledging support for Denmark and Greenland’s territorial integrity.
Macron’s office said the visit also aimed to advance cooperation on Arctic security and sustainable development, areas where France and the European Union seek a stronger voice amid shifting alliances.
A Call for Multilateralism Over Might
Cardinal Parolin has been one of the Vatican’s most consistent advocates for multilateral engagement in a world showing increasing signs of geopolitical fragmentation. Speaking in Rome earlier this month, he lamented that “conscience and reason can no longer tolerate violations of sovereignty in their most diverse forms.”
He warned that solutions “based on force cannot be used,” cautioning that the postwar “spirit of multilateralism” was at risk of fading—a development he said could lead to “a war within the international community.”
His words resonate as Europe seeks renewed cohesion amid growing American assertiveness and the rise of regional nationalism. For the Vatican, Parolin’s visit to Denmark symbolized more than a commemorative gesture—it was a deliberate insertion of moral voice into the dialogue over power and principle in the North Atlantic.
Lessons from the Past for an Uncertain Era
The anniversary of St. Ansgar’s mission offered Parolin an evocative metaphor for Europe’s current crossroads. In the ninth century, the Benedictine monk’s evangelization of the Norse kingdoms began not with worldly authority, but with patience, humility, and belief in God’s action even in failure.
“Success was not what he sought,” Parolin reminded worshippers, urging believers and governments alike to rekindle “evangelical boldness” and guard hope “where history seems weary.”
As the Arctic becomes the latest frontier in global strategic rivalry, his message resonated: that nations, like spiritual communities, require fidelity to shared conscience over confrontation.
The Vatican’s quiet diplomacy in Copenhagen thus echoed far beyond Nordic cathedrals—underscoring how faith can speak to the fractures of the modern world, and how respect for sovereignty, cooperation, and human dignity may yet steady the compass of an unsettled century.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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