Pellegrini: Pope Must Not Be Target of Political Attacks

Bratislava, 15 April (TASR) - Pope Leo XIV must not become the target of political attacks for his calls for peace, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini posted on social media on Wednesday. Pellegrini described the Pope as one of the strongest voices in the world urging an end to killing. "The pursuit of peace, calm and the preservation of life embodies the fundamental principles of Christianity, and the head of the Catholic Church is fully justified in calling for them," stated Pellegrini. He rejected criticism of the Pope for his peace appeals. "In this case, he doesn't represent himself, but billions of people around the world who adhere to Christianity and its ideals. It was precisely to them that the Pope's appeal was directed — that those who have the power to wage wars should choose peace," he said. Pellegrini added that if the pursuit of peace and the desire to preserve human life became the driving force of the world's most powerful politicians, the world would be a safer place. This, he said, is particularly important for smaller countries such as Slovakia, which depend on respect for international rules. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Pope Leo XIV in recent days in response to the Pope's calls for peace in the Middle East. Trump accused the Pope of doing a "terrible job" in foreign policy and said that he was chosen as Pope only because cardinals in the conclave believed that an American Pope would be the best way to get along with him. The Pope has reportedly responded by saying that he'll continue to call for peace and that he isn't afraid of the US government. Trump, despite criticism from parts of the public and several politicians at home and abroad, has refused to apologise and continued his criticism on social media into Tuesday night. He also posted an AI-generated image in which he was depicted resembling Jesus Christ, using a beam of light to heal a person. He later deleted the post, saying that he had only intended to appear as a doctor among Red Cross workers. mf/df