At around the same time US President Donald Trump was making his post on social media about Pope Leo, the Pope was taking a flight to Algeria, the first stop in a 10-day, four-country trip to the continent -- his first time there as pope but a journey he made a handful of times as a priest.
[This article will shortly be updated with full transcript of English remarks and translation of other remarks.]
As is customary, he spoke with journalists on the flight, and the president's post was a topic of discussion.
"I am not a politician, and I do not want to enter into a debate with him,” the Pope said.
"We are not seeking to do foreign policy as he calls it, from the same perspective that he would have."
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told an Associated Press reporter. “And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”
“I do not think the message of the Gospel should be abused as some are doing. I continue to speak strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, dialogue, and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems. Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent lives have been lost, and I believe someone must stand up and say there is a better way.”
The Pope then renewed the same call with which he began his pontificate: peace. “I say this to all world leaders, not only him: Let us end wars and promote peace and reconciliation.”
“I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’” Leo said.
“I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible”
Responding to a journalist from the U.S. who asked the same question, the Holy Father explained, “I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do.”
“We are not politicians,” he argued. “We don’t deal with foreign policy with the same perspective he might understand it, but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.”
Leo added a remark about the name of Trumps social media site, where he posted the remarks, and some hours later, an AI-generated image of himself as Christ: “It’s ironic — the name of the site itself (Truth Social). Say no more.”
An ongoing message of peace
Peace is one of the guiding themes of this apostolic journey, which begins in Algeria, the land of St. Augustine, the Pope's spiritual father.
This opportunity to travel to the place where this North African saint served as bishop is a blessing for the Pope, but, he stressed, “also for the Church and for the world, because we must always seek bridges to build peace and reconciliation.”
