Pope Leo XIV encourages leaders against popularity polarization
Pope Leo this Saturday (6).
The pontiff, who angered US President Donald Trump by criticizing anti-immigration policies and the war with Iran, will meet homeless people in Madrid and migrants in the Canary Islands during a visit that he hopes will serve as an example to the world about respect for "every human being".
"Today, the temptation to gain popularity by fanning the flames of polarization seems to have increased rather than decreased, and human dignity continues to be violated," said Leo XIV in a speech before King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid.
"I invite everyone to set aside the divisive and polarizing narratives of their reality and social history, so that we can overcome sterile simplifications through the fruitful appreciation of complexity," added Leão.
The pope said technology is partly responsible for creating an environment that amplifies prejudices and weakens critical thinking. The world cries out "from the depths of its depths for peace," he said.
The pontiff drew on the history of Spain as an example of peaceful coexistence between religions and cultures, referencing the way Christians, Muslims and Jews cooperated during the Middle Ages to improve human knowledge, translating Arabic texts into Latin, Spanish and Hebrew at the Toledo School of Translators.
"Its own history suggests that a culture of encounter, not confrontation, is what fosters stability and prosperity.
In reality, the message of peace, which unfortunately sounds to some as naive and to others as confrontational, is welcomed by those who do not close themselves off in preconceived ideologies, but who are open to the truth", he stated.
Thousands of people lined the streets of central Madrid, some waving Vatican and Spanish flags under a clear spring sky, as Leo XIII toured the city in an open popemobile. A large crowd is expected in the coming days for the first visit by a pope to Spain since 2011.
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Source: CNN