A new Pope Leo, more offensive, asserts himself on the world stage

Pope Leo has inaugurated a new style of oratory, marked by firmness, during his tour of four African countries this week. He has made vehement denunciations against war and inequalities, prompting sharp attacks from US President Donald Trump.

This shift in rhetoric reflects Leo’s growing concern about the direction of global leadership, according to experts, after maintaining a relatively low profile for the first ten months of his reign.

Trump initially referred to Leo as “terrible” on Sunday, in an apparent response to the pope’s criticisms of the US and Israel’s war against Iran. He reiterated his criticisms on Thursday, suggesting that the pope did not understand foreign policy issues.

The first American pope, speaking earlier today in Cameroon, declared that the world is “ravaged by a handful of tyrants”, without naming specific individuals.

“Usually, popes and the Vatican exercise caution in international politics, preferring diplomacy over public blame,” said John Thavis, a retired Vatican correspondent who covered three papacies.

“(Leo) seems convinced that the world needs to hear an explicit condemnation of injustice and aggression, and he seems aware of being one of the few individuals with a global platform.”

POPE PERCEIVED AS A MORAL LEADER ON THE WORLD STAGE

The pope, known for carefully weighing his words, largely avoided commenting on the US until March, when he emerged as a fierce critic of the war in Iran.

He only publicly mentioned Trump at the beginning of April, urging the president to find a “way out” to end the conflict.

In Africa, the pontiff spoke with much more firmness. During his speeches this week in Algeria and Cameroon, he warned that the whims of the wealthiest threaten peace and denounced violations of international law by “neocolonial” global powers.

“Pope Leo is asserting himself as a moral leader on a global scale,” said John Stowe, an archbishop from Lexington, Kentucky, to Reuters.

Stowe, president of an American Catholic peace organization, noted that Leo’s recent messages carried more weight as they were delivered during a visit to Africa, “facing populations that have experienced war, violence, famine, and chronic poverty.”

POPE DOES NOT WANT TO BE “COMPLACENT TOWARDS TRUMPISM”

Popes have long embodied a moral voice on the world stage, loudly denouncing injustices. However, they have generally tried to maintain the Church’s neutrality in global conflicts, enabling the Vatican to act as a mediator if asked.

It is a delicate balance to preserve.

Massimo Faggioli, a papal expert, cited the example of Pope Pius XII, who led a clandestine network to shelter Jews during the Holocaust but is criticized by some modern critics for not speaking out forcefully enough about the ongoing genocide.

“The shadow of Pius XII still looms,” said Faggioli, a professor at Trinity College Dublin, explaining why Leo might decide to speak more vigorously today.

“I don’t think he wants the Vatican to be accused of being complacent towards Trumpism just because he is American.”

LEO SPEAKS MORE DIRECTLY THAN HIS PREDECESSOR FRANCIS

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before becoming pope.

He lived through an intense period of internal conflict between the Peruvian government and the Maoist guerrilla group Shining Path, where tens of thousands of people perished in bloody clashes.

“In rural Peru, Prevost… witnessed the ravages of poverty, corruption, indifference globalization, climate disaster, and government violence on populations,” explained Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a scholar at Fordham University.

“He is uniquely qualified to speak about the dangers of political corruption and violence,” she added.

Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, was from Argentina and was also known for his strong denunciations of conflicts. He also clashed with Trump, who once called him “scandalous.”

With his comments this week, Thavis estimated that Leo may have expressed himself more forcefully than Francis or any previous pope.

“Other popes, like John Paul II and Francis, have mentioned the dangers of ideological tyranny and neo-colonialism,” Thavis pointed out.

“But when Leo states that the world is ‘ravaged by a handful of tyrants’, it seems like a much more direct challenge to the leaders of powerful nations.”