Folia Theologica et Canonica 9. 31/23 (2020)

Sacra theologia

68

SZABOLCS ANZELM SZUROMI, O.PRAEM.

replies happened by USA and Great Britain). Karl I was the only one who replied positively in the name of Austro-Hungary.

Nevertheless, Pope Benedict XV declaration supported well the classical legal concept of the Holy See and her sovereignty as basis for negotiation with states. This standpoint was consequent and clear: rejecting the “just war” theory, and to be “respectful of the rights of the defeated” in order to avoid an “unjust peace after an unjust war”. It must be emphasized, that because the several failed international negotiations and proposals in the time of the Great War, the other results in diplomatic fields of the Holy See are more valuable.33 The World War I (July 28th 1914-November 11th 1918) had overshadowed the papacy of Benedict XV, however - as I have underlined - particularly during that dark time the Holy Father was able to express his governing, pastoral, international diplomatic and humanitarian activity, which clearly expressed and improved the Holy See’s active membership in the international law and relations.34

Conclusion

On November 11th 1918 the Central Powers - trustfully in President Wilson’s fourteen points - laid down their arms. However, the following “peace process” was essentially opposite to Wilson’s romanticist offer. Citing Arnold J. Toynbee’s article The Main Features of the Landscape written in 1935 on the conclusion of the so called Great War: “The armistice in 1918, based on the Wilsonian “Fourteen Points” promised self-determination, justice, and peace for all - winners and losers; but its promises did not soften the post-war treatment of the defeated nations.”35

In fact, the Holy See initiatives had not inserted into the document which has entry into World history as “Versailles Treaty” (signed on 28th June 1919) without any single mandatory juridical element of an international lawful treaty. The three central figures - President Wilson, Prime Minister Lloyd George and Prime Minister Georges Benjamin Clemenceau - used political force to determine those terms which - based on the concept which was rejected expressively by Pope Benedict XV - laid on revenge, without any negotiation

33 Pollard, J. R, The Unknown Pope. Benedict XV, 123-128.

34 Briére, Y., Concordats postérieurs a la Grande Guerra, in Naz, R. (ed.), Dictionnaire de droit canonique, III. Paris 1942. 1431-1472; cf. Leisner, W., Geglaubtes Recht. Säkularisierte religiöse Grundlagen der Demokratie, in Insensee, J. - Rees, W. - Rüfner, W. (Hrsg.), Dem Staate, was des Staates - der Kirche, was der Kirche ist. Festschrift für Joseph Listl zum 70. Geburstag (Staatskirchenrechtliche Abhandlungen 33), Berlin 1999. 115-128.

35 Toynbee, A. J., The Main Features of the Landscape in The Treaty of Versailles and After, London 1935.