(Adnkronos) – Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani on Friday paid homage to Leo XIV a year to the day since he became pope, praising the first US pontiff’s “strong commitment to peace” and to dialogue, which he said has given hope to “millions of people around the world”.
“Today, we celebrate the first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. With his strong commitment to peace, he has already charted a path of hope for millions of people around the world,” Tajani wrote on X.
“The first American pontiff, but also the first Augustinian in history to be elected as the successor of Peter, Pope Leo reminds us all of the importance of always building bridges, through dialogue and encounter.,” the post continued.
Tajani and Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni sprang to Leo’s defence last month, slamming as “unacceptable” US president Donald Trump’s criticism of the pope as “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy”.
Trump’s broadside against Leo from his Truth Social platform can after the pontiff spoke out with increasingly force against the US-Israel war on Iran and the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Trump’s attacks on Leo caused widespread anger in Italy.
