Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday doubled down as U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism confirmed no signal of letting up, insisting that the message “the world wants to listen to right now” is certainly one of peace and dialogue.
Leo spoke to journalists aboard the papal airplane en path to Cameroon as he continued his Africa go to. He made no point out of Trump’s newest social media put up or the suggestion by Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, that he ought to “watch out” when talking about theology.
Leo took no questions. Quite, he centered on his just-concluded go to to Algeria and the teachings of St. Augustine of Hippo, the inspiration of his non secular order and his personal spirituality.
However Leo spoke in phrases that prompt the Trump administration’s criticism of the pope’s requires peace within the U.S.-Israeli battle with Iran had not gone unnoticed.
Trump has issued repeated broadsides this week towards historical past’s first U.S.-born pope, accusing him of being weak on crime and a captive to the left, and asserting that Leo owed his papacy to Trump. Trump additionally posted, then took down, an AI-generated, Christ-like picture of himself that drew widespread condemnation, even from many supporters.
In a single day, Trump posted “Not good!!!” in response to a put up citing social media posts by Leo earlier than he was pope that had been vital of Trump. And he wrote: “Will somebody please inform Pope Leo that Iran has killed a minimum of 42,000 harmless, fully unarmed, protesters within the final two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is completely unacceptable.”
Leo drew consideration to his go to Tuesday to Annaba, the traditional metropolis of Hippo the place St. Augustine, the theological and philosophical large of the early church, lived as a bishop for greater than 30 years.
“His writings, his instructing, his spirituality, his invitation to seek for God and to seek for reality is one thing that could be very a lot wanted right now, a message that could be very actual for all of us right now as believers in Jesus Christ, however for all folks,” Leo mentioned.
By going to Hippo, Leo mentioned he wished to supply the church and the world a imaginative and prescient that St. Augustine presents by way of looking for “unity amongst all peoples and respect for all folks regardless of the variations.”
He recalled that the overwhelming majority of Algerians are Muslim, however that they respect and honor St. Augustine as “one of many nice sons of their land.” Such an perspective, he mentioned, helps to construct bridges between Christians and Muslims and promote dialogue.
He recalled that the overwhelming majority of Algerians are Muslim, they usually respect and honor St. Augustine as “one of many nice sons of their land.” He mentioned that perspective helps to construct bridges between Christians and Muslims.
And he recalled his go to to the Nice Mosque of Algiers, the place he stood in silent prayer.
“I feel the go to to the mosque was vital to say that though we now have completely different beliefs, we now have other ways of worshiping, we now have other ways of dwelling, we are able to stay collectively in peace,” he mentioned.
“And so I feel that to advertise that sort of picture is one thing which the world wants to listen to right now.”
Trump’s assaults on Leo started after the pope amplified criticism of battle and asserted that God doesn’t bless those that drop bombs. Leo additionally known as Trump’s risk to annihilate Iranian civilization “actually unacceptable.”
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