Abstract / DOI
«Peace is Possible»: The Messages for the World Day of Peace Relating to their Popes and Topics. Established by Pope Paul VI the First World Day of Peace was celebrated on January 1st 1968. Since then 50 years have passed by and unfortunately the papal messages often have gained few attention in everyday life and scholarship. The present article will show some reasons for this observation and intends to give an appreciative overview and thematic insight into the pope’s messages between 1968 and 2017. Arranged according to important key topics – e.g. fraternity, prayer, religious freedom, (non-)violence – the messages for the World Days of Peace will be considered and commentated paradigmatically, at first relating to their popes in particular (Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis) to emphasize some of their contentual priorities and secondly in the course of time to reveal substantial continuity and change.