Pope Leo mentioned Wednesday that his go to to Africa provides a message of unity and peace “the world needs to hear” as he continues to face criticisms for his stance on the struggle in Iran from the President and the Vice President of the United States.
Speaking on board the papal aircraft from Algeria to Cameroon, Leo XIV pointed to his go to to the Great Mosque of Algiers, the largest in Africa, and to the birthplace of Saint Augustine of Hippo, a vastly influential Christian determine who impressed him to change into a priest.
The first American pope mentioned going to the mosque confirmed that whereas “we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace.”
He added: “I believe that to advertise that sort of picture is one thing which the world needs to listen to as we speak.
Leo’s journey to Africa, starting with a Muslim-majority nation, got here after he has been more and more essential of the US army operation in Iran. It has underlined the pope’s stance as a counterweight to the Trump administration.
Leo’s comfortability calling out the US president on the world stage marks a major escalation in tensions for Trump and the first American pope.
The pope departed for Africa simply hours after Trump had launched a unprecedented broadside towards the pontiff and his stance on the struggle, with the president subsequently posting a picture of himself seemingly as a Jesus-like determine. The picture was later deleted.
Vice-President JD Vance, a Catholic, weighed in at a Turning Point USA occasion on Tuesday, saying the pope must be “careful” when speaking about theology and questioning the pontiff’s understanding of Just War concept, the standards for a morally justifiable battle developed over centuries by Catholic thinkers.
A key architect of Just War instructing is Saint Augustine of Hippo, whom Leo honored whereas in Algeria. Augustine – a bishop in the late fourth and early fifth centuries – is the religious father of the Augustinian order of which the pontiff is a member and former chief.
Leo confused that Augustine remains to be “an important figure” by means of his writings, teachings and spirituality.
“His invitation to search for God and for truth is something that is very much needed today,” Leo, talking in English, mentioned on board the aircraft from Algiers to Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. He identified that Augustine’s reminiscence is honored in Algeria, regardless of the Muslim-majority make-up of the inhabitants.
Saint Augustine, the pope mentioned, provides “the church and the world” a imaginative and prescient that features the “struggle to build community, to seek for unity among all peoples, and respect for all peoples, in spite of the differences.”
Trump confirmed no indicators of eager to again away from his feud Tuesday night time, saying it was “unacceptable” for Tehran to have a nuclear bomb.
“Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable,” Trumpw rote in a submit on Truth Social.
Leo, who’s the first pontiff to go to Algeria, expressed his gratitude to the Algerian authorities for making the journey doable. He additionally paid tribute to the small however important presence of the Catholic Church in Algeria.
While in Cameroon, he’s set to deal with the battle in the nation between the Francophone authorities and English-speaking separatists, and can participate in a peace assembly.
The pope’s Africa journey additionally consists of visits to Angola and Equatorial Guinea and concludes on April 23.