Anthony Stine, a traditionalist Catholic commentator, podcaster and writer, who has long been critical of modern reforms in the Church, said<\/a> on X: \u201cAbba’s DANCING QUEEN is being to welcome the pope back to Rome. Please someone confirm that its fake. I’m begging you.\u201d<\/p>\n Catholic political commentator and Democratic political strategist Christopher Hale also shared footage of the band playing Neil Diamond\u2019s \u201cSweet Caroline\u201d and called<\/a> the response a \u201cbig scandal” on X.<\/p>\n “A big scandal is brewing at the Vatican today. Pope Leo XIV was serenaded by both Neil Diamond\u2019s Sweet Caroline and ABBA\u2019s Dancing Queen on the same day,” Hale wrote, adding, “Things are getting a little too risqu\u00e9 under the American pope.”<\/p>\n Hale noted that the so-called “scandal” dates back to Pope Leo’s first Sunday Regina Caeli, when the Village People’s “YMCA”\u2014coincidentally a favorite track of Leo’s adversary, President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2014played.<\/p>\n Film producer Nancy Ross, who described herself as a \u201cMAGA MOM\u201d and has a photo with President Donald Trump as her profile picture on X, is one of several people who criticized the \u201cDancing Queen\u201d song for its link to the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n Ross quoted a 2022 article from Xtra Magazine, a Canadian LGBTQ+ focused digital outlet, which called the song \u201cthe most iconic Pride anthem of all time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDancing Queen, Pope Leo & PRIDE At The Vatican,\u201d Ross said<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, the reaction wasn’t all negative; other X users celebrated the song choice, including the Catholic digital media outlet ChurcPOP<\/a>, which showed footage on X of the band playing ABBA\u2019s \u201cMamma Mia” at the event, as well. \u201cOnly at the Vatican do you get papal blessings with a side of ABBA,\u201d the post said.<\/p>\n U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Rome the next day to meet with Pope Leo at the Apostolic Palace, his official residence, amid weeks of tension between the pontiff and Trump over the United States’ war in Iran. <\/p>\n Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, has strongly condemned<\/a> the\u00a0war in the Middle East, and the “delusion of omnipotence” that caused it, saying it has led to “absurd and inhuman violence.”<\/p>\n Last month, when Trump wrote on social media that\u00a0“an entire civilization will die tonight”\u00a0if Iran failed to meet a U.S. deadline, Leo responded: “This is truly unacceptable.” Trump later posted a scathing attack on the pope<\/a> in a post on Truth Social,\u00a0calling him \u201cweak on crime\u201d and \u201cterrible for foreign policy.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Trump said the pontiff\u00a0was “endangering” Catholics with his opposition to the war in Iran.<\/p>\n “The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told Hugh Hewitt, a conservative radio host. “I don’t think that’s very good.”<\/p>\n Pope Leo responded, telling reporters: “If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so with the truth. The Church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt about this, and I simply hope to be heard for the sake of the Word of God.”<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26126297141639.jpg\"\/)
Marco Rubio Meets Pope Leo Amid Trump Feud<\/p>\n