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Pope’s Slovakia visit sends signal after brief Hungary stop | Pope’s Slovakia visit sends signal after brief Hungary stop |
(about 1 month later) | |
Pope Francis met with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava | Pope Francis met with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava |
Pope Francis has begun a four-day visit to Slovakia, the first papal visit to the country in 18 years. | Pope Francis has begun a four-day visit to Slovakia, the first papal visit to the country in 18 years. |
Typically, he's going out of his way to embrace the most excluded members of society - he'll tour a homeless shelter and also visit the impoverished Roma minority in Slovakia's far east. | Typically, he's going out of his way to embrace the most excluded members of society - he'll tour a homeless shelter and also visit the impoverished Roma minority in Slovakia's far east. |
But the pastoral, of course, is never far from the political. | But the pastoral, of course, is never far from the political. |
"This trip is... very pleasing for us Slovaks," said analyst Imrich Gazda. | "This trip is... very pleasing for us Slovaks," said analyst Imrich Gazda. |
"It's very encouraging, but it's also very surprising," he said as we sat opposite the Presidential Palace in the capital Bratislava. | "It's very encouraging, but it's also very surprising," he said as we sat opposite the Presidential Palace in the capital Bratislava. |
"We're asking the question again and again - why did he decide to come and spend four days here? There have been various hints but no real explanation. Maybe he himself will tell us the answer." | "We're asking the question again and again - why did he decide to come and spend four days here? There have been various hints but no real explanation. Maybe he himself will tell us the answer." |
It's fair to say the pontiff's relatively long Slovak visit - 70 hours, compared to the seven hours he spent on a brief stopover in Hungary - has produced not just pleasure but puzzlement, even among Catholics. | It's fair to say the pontiff's relatively long Slovak visit - 70 hours, compared to the seven hours he spent on a brief stopover in Hungary - has produced not just pleasure but puzzlement, even among Catholics. |
Gazda, who writes on Catholic matters for the conservative online daily Postoj, agreed with those Vatican commentators who think Pope Francis is sending a subtle message. | Gazda, who writes on Catholic matters for the conservative online daily Postoj, agreed with those Vatican commentators who think Pope Francis is sending a subtle message. |
Pope Francis is visiting Slovakia for four days | Pope Francis is visiting Slovakia for four days |
Hungary is home to fiery nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with whom Pope Francis has clashed on whether Europe should accept asylum seekers, especially from the Muslim world. | Hungary is home to fiery nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with whom Pope Francis has clashed on whether Europe should accept asylum seekers, especially from the Muslim world. |
In the past, some of the PM's supporters in Hungary have mocked the Pope as "anti-Christian" for his comments on helping refugees. | In the past, some of the PM's supporters in Hungary have mocked the Pope as "anti-Christian" for his comments on helping refugees. |
At a Sunday Mass in Hungary, Pope Francis alluded to the issue, saying: "The cross, planted in the ground, not only invites us to be well-rooted, it also raises and extends its arms towards everyone." | At a Sunday Mass in Hungary, Pope Francis alluded to the issue, saying: "The cross, planted in the ground, not only invites us to be well-rooted, it also raises and extends its arms towards everyone." |
He made those comments after meeting Mr Orban for about 40 minutes at a museum in Budapest. | He made those comments after meeting Mr Orban for about 40 minutes at a museum in Budapest. |
Pope warns of anti-Semitism as he visits Hungary | Pope warns of anti-Semitism as he visits Hungary |
How Pope Francis became a movie star | How Pope Francis became a movie star |
In contrast, the Pope received a red-carpet welcome when he met with Slovakia's female president, Zuzana Caputova, at the Presidential Palace on Monday morning. | In contrast, the Pope received a red-carpet welcome when he met with Slovakia's female president, Zuzana Caputova, at the Presidential Palace on Monday morning. |
A former lawyer and environmental campaigner, she is a liberal (and Catholic) politician who uses far more tolerant and inclusive language when talking about such things as LGBT rights or refugees. | A former lawyer and environmental campaigner, she is a liberal (and Catholic) politician who uses far more tolerant and inclusive language when talking about such things as LGBT rights or refugees. |
Mr Orban and the Pope met at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest on Sunday | Mr Orban and the Pope met at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest on Sunday |
Across town in Bratislava's St Martin's Cathedral, where Hungarian kings were crowned for almost three centuries, Father Radoslav Saskovic was making the last-minute preparations for the Pope's visit. Soft-spoken, young and welcoming, he was quick to correct me when I described Pope Francis as "liberal". | Across town in Bratislava's St Martin's Cathedral, where Hungarian kings were crowned for almost three centuries, Father Radoslav Saskovic was making the last-minute preparations for the Pope's visit. Soft-spoken, young and welcoming, he was quick to correct me when I described Pope Francis as "liberal". |
"In my opinion Pope Francis is definitely not a traditionalist, but he is definitely not a liberal," he told the BBC. | "In my opinion Pope Francis is definitely not a traditionalist, but he is definitely not a liberal," he told the BBC. |
"I think he is the right Catholic conservative that I think a Catholic conservative is supposed to be." | "I think he is the right Catholic conservative that I think a Catholic conservative is supposed to be." |
At a time of falling church attendance - and Covid-19 restrictions - St Martin's had still drawn dozens of worshippers for Sunday mass. But beyond the yellow-and-white flags fluttering from lampposts, the atmosphere - at least in Bratislava - felt rather muted. | At a time of falling church attendance - and Covid-19 restrictions - St Martin's had still drawn dozens of worshippers for Sunday mass. But beyond the yellow-and-white flags fluttering from lampposts, the atmosphere - at least in Bratislava - felt rather muted. |
Father Saskovic insisted Pope Francis was not a "liberal" | Father Saskovic insisted Pope Francis was not a "liberal" |
"Catholics are very, very reserved about his visit," said Michal Havran, a TV host and writer who studied Protestant theology in France. | "Catholics are very, very reserved about his visit," said Michal Havran, a TV host and writer who studied Protestant theology in France. |
"I remember the visits of Pope John Paul II here. He was like a superstar. Millions of people were coming. Now, it's completely different." | "I remember the visits of Pope John Paul II here. He was like a superstar. Millions of people were coming. Now, it's completely different." |
Around us people chose ice cream and sipped cocktails, seemingly oblivious to matters papal or ecclesiastical. | Around us people chose ice cream and sipped cocktails, seemingly oblivious to matters papal or ecclesiastical. |
"If you go to the isolated Facebook forums of conservative Catholics, you can see and you can read opinions saying that this Pope is not a Catholic, this is not real Catholicism," Mr Havran said. | "If you go to the isolated Facebook forums of conservative Catholics, you can see and you can read opinions saying that this Pope is not a Catholic, this is not real Catholicism," Mr Havran said. |
Mr Havran said Catholics were "reserved" about the Pope's visit to Slovakia | Mr Havran said Catholics were "reserved" about the Pope's visit to Slovakia |
Certainly, there has been pushback here against Pope Francis' embrace of asylum seekers and homosexuals, even of his support for vaccination. | Certainly, there has been pushback here against Pope Francis' embrace of asylum seekers and homosexuals, even of his support for vaccination. |
Mr Havran said he even thought he enjoyed warmer support amongst non-Catholic Slovaks than Catholic Slovaks. | Mr Havran said he even thought he enjoyed warmer support amongst non-Catholic Slovaks than Catholic Slovaks. |
That, perhaps, is difficult to measure. A large billboard on the motorway read: "'Abortion Equals Murder' - Pope Francis". It was unclear as I sped past whether the billboard was approving or critical. | That, perhaps, is difficult to measure. A large billboard on the motorway read: "'Abortion Equals Murder' - Pope Francis". It was unclear as I sped past whether the billboard was approving or critical. |
Perhaps Catholics in Slovakia - like Catholics everywhere - are still trying to get the measure of Pope Francis: too liberal for some conservatives, too conservative for some liberals. | Perhaps Catholics in Slovakia - like Catholics everywhere - are still trying to get the measure of Pope Francis: too liberal for some conservatives, too conservative for some liberals. |
You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
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Francis became the first pope to visit Iraq earlier this year | Francis became the first pope to visit Iraq earlier this year |