Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, has raised alarm over what he described as the “systematic violation of international law,” pointing to the bombing of civilians and the killing of aid workers in ongoing global conflicts, particularly in Gaza.
“We are very concerned about the systematic violation of international law,” Cardinal Parolin said in a Vatican News report.
The statement came as the Israeli Embassy to the Holy See responded to the Pope’s call for an end to the “heavy bombing in Gaza,” asserting in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Israel is acting “in accordance with international law.”
Speaking at the sidelines of the “Vatican Longevity Summit: Defying the Clock of Time” at the Augustinianum, Cardinal Parolin emphasized the Vatican’s concern over what he sees as a global erosion of humanitarian norms.
“Recently, we spoke with the Red Cross and they too are very, very much in difficulty,” he said. “The bombing of civilians, the killing of humanitarian workers – these are all actions that go precisely against humanitarian law, and today there is no respect for humanitarian law. This is one of the great limitations of this period: there is no respect for humanitarian law anymore.”
Referring to Pope Francis’ call for peace, Parolin said the Pope’s message “is a call to stop, to find ways of dialogue and peace.”
In his speech at the Vatican Longevity Summit, Parolin reflected on the broader implications of aging in today’s world.
He said, “Longevity is one of the great challenges of our time,” noting that it encompasses not just medical concerns but also economic, cultural, ethical, and spiritual dimensions.
“We live in an age in which limitations and frailties tend to be denied, as if old age were a problem to be hidden away,” he said. “But life is a gift and preserves its value in every phase of existence.”
He warned against the pursuit of “biological immortality,” urging instead a focus on “the quality of relationships, in love given and received, in the profound sense of being part of a community.”
Parolin called for scientific and technological research to serve “the integral good of the person” and uphold “human dignity and universal fraternity.”
Quoting Pope Francis, he stressed that “longevity cannot become a privilege reserved for the few, nor a new form of social inequality.”
He concluded with a reminder of the importance of fostering intergenerational solidarity, stating that such relationships are key to resisting a “culture of individualism.”
