Famed for their durable architecture, the Romans have engineered the foundations of the Western and Christian world. The Romans, and Greeks before them, sketched the blueprint of civilisation, laying the groundwork which has stood for two millennia. Since the time of Emperor Augustus, the office of Pontifex Maximus has stood as a symbol of imperial and religious power. The pontiff of Rome will visit Lebanon from November 30 to December 2, almost 30 years after the historic visit of Pope John Paul II brought a glimmer of hope to the troubled nation.

By Nadia Ahmad
The “Greatest Pontiff” became a de facto title of the emperor, who was head of the Roman state religion. The Christianization of Rome led to the gradual transition of the Pontifex title to the Bishop of Rome, and while the emperors became relics of history, their trace can still be found in the office of the Pope, who is the spiritual successor not only of Saint Peter, but the heir of the emperors of Rome.

The Pope serves as the Head of the Catholic Church, with Catholic monarchs ranking beneath him as Princes of the Church. The same imperial and religious power which adorned Marcus Aurelius is now embodied in the office of Saint Peter.

The word Pontifex in Latin means bridge builder, and the two hundred sixty-seven Popes have served as bridge builders, not only between peoples, nations, and faiths, but between the ancient and new world. Ancient Rome is remembered in ruins, but it lives on in Vatican City. 

Plato once emphasised the necessity of the “philosopher becoming King, and a King becoming a philosopher”. Among the world rulers today, there is only one office where a philosopher is chosen to be King, by an equally philosophical and learned political class: the Pope. The college of cardinal’s selection process, famously veiled in smoke and mirrors, elects a man who will head the spiritual political Kingdom of Christ.

While world leaders across the globe have used religion in the service of politics, the Pope alone uses philosophy in the service of both religion and politics. The natural evolution of Greek philosophy into Christianity over the centuries allows the Pope the freedom to utilise his own intellect, knowledge, and wisdom to lead the Vatican, the Church, and Catholics as their spiritual leader.

The successors of Saint Peter do not govern the Church for a love of power; they are themselves lifelong devotees to the path of the apostles. Their rule is a service, and it is done for the greater good. Among Plato’s famed allegories, the allegory of the cave describes ordinary people as prisoners watching shadows on the wall. At the same time, the philosopher illuminates their world with the sun, which is wisdom, truth, and knowledge.

The role of the Philosopher-King is not only to guide people through, but to guide them towards good, distinguishing the office of the Pope from the modern political regimes of the day. 

The American Kings of Rome and The Pax Romana
The Vatican and the United States are the two sides of Rome, with many considering the US to be the New Roman Empire. The Vatican is seen as the heir of Rome, and the US is its replica. Both the US under Trump and the Vatican have historically made commitments to advancing the cause of global peace. With both the empire of the West and East working towards peace, which American King of Rome will “Make Peace Great Again”?

American power projects itself around the globe, as does its President, Donald Trump. Criticism that Trump’s approach to his office resembles that of an unelected monarch is plenty, yet his style can be more easily likened to that of a Roman Emperor. In his approach to foreign affairs, much like the Romans, Trump employs a combination of punishment and reward, taking pride in his ability to secure enduring world peace and prosperity.

However, the democratic process, the lobbying system, and the multilayered interests of the US prevent its leader from being an emissary of peace. The President is always an emissary of complicated politics.

Surrounded by political rivals, Trump’s domestic tug of war and attempts at political takedowns have hindered his ability to fully enforce his agenda, which included peace as a key component. As he struggles with Congress for control, Trump is lodged within a complicated bureaucratic system. The world waits for Trump to deliver his promised Pax Donalda, while there is another American whose position and office bring him forward as the leading contender to be the true bringer of peace.

The holiness attached to the office of the Pontifex allows the Pope greater liberty to execute his doctrine with freedom from opposition. The longevity of the office also ensures the Pope will come to be seen as an international symbol, in a way that the temporal Presidents of modern democracies can never be.

A President can only dream of securing the allegiance of 1.4 billion Catholics, as well as the Church clergy that the Pope inherits by assuming his office. No man is bound to the Oval Office, but Catholics are bound to obey and observe the office of the Holy See.

On his upcoming visit to biblical Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV describes his visit as a message of peace and hope. In his office, the current Pope has come to represent the renewed hope that the promised American-Roman regional peace will be realised, the Pax Romana. It will be the Pontiff of Peace, not the American President, to whom the job falls.

Nadia Ahmad is a Lebanese journalist, public policy researcher, and political analyst. She is focused on the Near and Middle East, analysing geopolitics through a political theology approach and the dynamics of Abrahamism. This issue is her first contribution to The Liberum.