Pope Leo XIV says it was \u201cnot in my interest at all\u201d to debate US president Donald Trump about the Iran war, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace.<\/p>\n
Leo spoke to reporters aboard the papal plane flying from Cameroon to Angola as part of his 11-day tour of Africa.<\/p>\n
He addressed the spiraling back-and-forth saga of Trump\u2019s critiques of his peace message, which have dominated news headlines this week. <\/p>\n
But the American pope also sought to set the record straight, insisting that his preaching isn\u2019t directed at Trump, but reflects the broader Gospel message of peace.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo says he has \u201cno fear of the Trump administration\u201d after being attacked by the US president. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump launched the criticism on his social media platform Truth Social on the night of April 12, when he criticized Leo\u2019s preaching about peace as the war, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28 and was followed by Iran\u2019s retaliation, raged on. <\/p>\n
Trump accused Leo of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and said that the first American pontiff owed his election to Trump.<\/p>\n
Leo has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war. Specifically, he called Trump\u2019s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization \u201ctruly unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Vatican has stressed that when Leo preaches about peace, he is referring to all wars ravaging the planet, not just the Iran conflict.<\/p>\n
1News Europe Correspondent Kate Nicol-Williams explains what Trump said about the Pope in his latest post on social media. (Source: Breakfast)<\/p>\n
The Russian Orthodox Church, for example, has justified Moscow\u2019s invasion of Ukraine as a \u201choly war.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Leo referred specifically to his remarks earlier this week to a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon. <\/p>\n
The city is the epicentre of a separatist conflict that has been raging in the western, Anglophone region of the country for nearly a decade.<\/p>\n
Leo said that his remarks, in which he blasted the \u201chandful of tyrants\u201d who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, were written two weeks ago, long before Trump\u2019s criticisms began.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, however, he said that he would continue preaching the Gospel.<\/p>\n
\u201cI primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all the Catholics throughout Africa,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He drew attention to some upcoming liturgical readings about what it means to be Christian and to follow Christ, promote fraternity and brotherhood, \u201cbut also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, promote peace in our world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Leo arrived later Saturday in Angola, the third stop on his four-nation tour. <\/p>\n
A message of peace would be especially relevant for the southern African country, which was ravaged by a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002 but has left deep scars.<\/p>\n
Leo will meet with Angolan President Joao Lourenco and deliver his first speech before government authorities, when he hopes to bring joy and encouragement to Angola’s long-suffering people.<\/p>\n
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