VATICAN CORNER
On his first foreign trip as president, Donald Trump met with Pope Francis at a private audience at the Vatican on May 24, 2017. Trump’s stop at the Vatican was one of many on his trip which included Saudi Arabia, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. There were discussions with foreign leaders about bringing an end to the Palestinian – Israeli conflict, halting Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons, a meeting in Italy with the G7 Group of 7 major advanced economies, and a meeting in Brussels with the NATO defense treaty organization. Melania Trump, the first lady, Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, and Jared Kushner his son-in-law, accompanied president Trump to the Vatican. In the past, Trump and Francis have talked past each other, disagreeing on issues including environmental protection, building a wall on the Mexican border, and turning away Muslim immigrants and refugees. This was the first time they had met in person and Pope Francis appeared subdued at the beginning, but smiled later after their 30 minute private conversation. According to Austen Ivereigh, the author of a well-regarded biography of Francis, the Pope may be quick to criticize actions, but he rarely, if ever, savages someone personally, even if he sharply disagrees with them. He hates direct confrontation. When Melania shook hands with Francis he asked her in Spanish through his interpreter while pointing at Donald: “What do you give him to eat? Potica?” She looked puzzled at first thinking that the Pope was talking about pizza. But the Slovenianborn first lady then seemed to understand that he meant potica (pronounced paw-tee’-tzah) the highly nutritious Slovenian festive strudel with nuts, poppy seeds, cottage cheese, chocolate, tarragon, and leek or honey fillings. The Pope is a fan of potica and he regularly asks visitors from Slovenia about the roll cake. Melania Trump’s spokeswoman recently confirmed that Melania is a Catholic. That makes her the first Catholic to live in the White House since the Kennedys. It is unclear when she became Catholic since she and her sister were not baptized as infants and didn’t make their First Holy Communion along with other kids their age. In order to work, their father joined the Communist Party in Slovenia, and the Party did not believe in God. The Trumps were married at an Episcopal Church in Palm Beach Florida in 2005 and the president is a life-long Presbyterian. Pope Francis blessed a rosary for Melania at the meeting.
To be continued … Sources nbcnew.com, cnn.com, Dailymail.co.uk, cbsnews.com