THE ROLE OF CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE COUNTRIES IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD OF POPE FRANCIS

Central Eastern Europe countries, statistics in hand, have a priority profile in the geopolitical vision of Pope Francis, who in the space of ten years has visited them three times more than those of Western Europe, since his first trip to Albania in September 2014 to the recent one in Hungary in April 2023. Starting from this data, a double comparative analysis is developed, geographical and historical. From a geographical point of view, making a comparison with the other eastern direction of Francis’ Pontificate, towards China and the Far East. And from a historical point of view, making a comparison with the two predecessors, Wojtyla and Ratzinger: to reach the conclusion that if we look at the world from the Vatican, Europe is no longer at the center of the Pope’s vision of the world. But if we look at Europe from the Vatican, Eastern Europe countries are at the center of the Pope’s vision of Europe: not only on a spiritual but also institutional level, with a preference for the confederation model over the federalist one.