The fallible – Much incomprehension about the Pope
Published: Tuesday, Mar 12th 2024, 15:30
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On Wednesdays, whenever his health permits, the Pope holds a general audience. At around nine o'clock in the morning, Francis comes to St. Peter's Square, presides over the mass, gives his blessing and then usually says a few words to the many thousands of faithful. A routine appointment.
However, this Wednesday, exactly eleven years to the day after his election, the audience would be an excellent opportunity for the head of more than 1.4 billion Catholics to clarify a few things that have been causing a stir worldwide since his interview on Swiss television.
In particular, who exactly was he advising to raise the white flag after more than two years of war in Ukraine with tens of thousands of deaths? Was it only for the leadership in Kiev, whose army is obviously experiencing massive difficulties? Or also for the aggressor in the Kremlin? And what does the white flag actually mean to him: simply a sign of peace at the start of negotiations under international mediation? Or perhaps unconditional surrender?
Devastating international response
In any case, the Vatican is now also aware of the devastating response to the interview. US President Joe Biden, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz - they all made their disapproval clear, "with all due respect to the Holy Father". In Germany, even the Christian Democratic party and parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz called the statements "fundamentally wrong". However, the anger is naturally greatest in Ukraine: President Volodymyr Selensky had the Apostolic Nuncio in Kiev - effectively the Vatican's ambassador - summoned to report.
Obviously, the 87-year-old, and no one around him, was really aware of the consequences that these rather chatty sentences could have. The interview took place more than a month ago, for a cultural program that was supposed to be about the significance of the color white - for example, why the Pope wears white. Then, however, Francis also got involved in the question of whether Ukraine should not have the courage to raise the white flag, or whether this meant proving the strongest right.
Francis has long been suspected of being pro-Russia
The answer was more of a general musing, but Francis also said: "It's a question of perspective. But I think that he who recognizes the situation, who thinks of the people, who has the courage of the white flag to negotiate, is stronger." Elsewhere, he later added: "Negotiations are never a surrender", which has received less attention. Many see the interview as one-sidedly taking sides with Russia - which is also due to the fact that the Pope has long been suspected of being pro-Russian.
In May 2022, for example, Francis asked whether Nato had contributed to the start of the war by "barking at the gates of Russia" with its eastward expansion. Last summer, after many war crimes, he found reason to praise "big Russia", which went down extremely badly in Ukraine. For critics of the Pope in Kiev and elsewhere, the new statements fit the picture. They no longer see much point in the Vatican's mediation efforts - in particular those of the special envoy for Ukraine, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.
"I am a sinner and I am fallible"
Others are not so harsh on Francis. Many Vaticanists - as the professional pope-watchers in Rome are called - point out that the pontiff is not a trained diplomat, does many things differently to his predecessors with a certain headstrongness and likes to give free rein to his thoughts in conversation. In fact, Francis gives interviews like hardly any pope before him. In an interview with Die Zeit years ago, he also said: "I am a sinner and I am fallible." Others point out that the Argentinian-born Pope spent most of his life far away from Europe and therefore has a different view of the world.
Behind closed doors, some also bring his age and health into play. At 87, Francis is now the oldest pope in more than a century. Recently, he has had to cancel appointments more frequently - officially due to a protracted cold. He is often in a wheelchair and was recently hospitalized again, sometimes it is difficult to understand him. He hasn't been on a longer trip abroad since the summer. It is uncertain whether anything will come of this year's trips - Belgium, the Pacific, his native Argentina. He would not be very welcome in Ukraine, another possible destination.
In any case, the Vatican is currently mainly concerned with damage limitation. Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin - number two in the Papal States - made it clear in the newspaper "Corriere della Sera" (Tuesday) that just and lasting peace is only possible through the efforts of both warring parties. Parolin did not say whether the Pope himself will make a statement again in this Wednesday's general audience. But who on earth knows for sure with this Pope?
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