…and the faith is Europe.” Hillaire Belloc was overstating the case when he composed that famous formulation, but of course he was onto something: It was in Europe (including the Mediterranean world) that the great doctrines of the faith were worked out and indeed where our civilization arose. Throughout the twenteith century, Europe remained the battleground—two world wars, the great struggles against totalitarianism. By electing Benedict XVI, the College of Cardinals has recognized that Europe remains the battleground even now. Materialism, libertinism, the collapse of civilizational morale—all these are furthest advanced in Europe, and nowhere more so than in Benedict’s homeland, Germany.

John Paul, a titanic figure, stood up to totalitarianism—and won. Perhaps it will prove the mission of Benedict, “a humble worker,” as he called himself an hour ago, to show ordinary Europeans what to do with the freedom they have now achieved.