Iranian media claimed the country’s ambassador to the Vatican received a rare diplomatic honor from Pope Leo XIV. But the US Embassy to the Holy See stepped in to clarify that the recognition is a standard award granted to all ambassadors after two years of service, not a unique papal gesture tied to Iran.
The Vatican has issued a stern warning to the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, threatening automatic excommunication if it proceeds with unauthorized bishop ordinations. Rome says this is a direct challenge to papal authority and threatens Church unity. The SSPX has long rejected Vatican II reforms and has repeatedly clashed with the Holy See over doctrine and liturgy.
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President Donald Trump has again assailed Pope Leo XIV, alleging the pontiff helps Iran and endangers people through his stance on immigrants. The Pope rejects the charges, saying his message follows church teachings on peace and opposition to nuclear weapons. The growing controversy could complicate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Vatican visit, while Italian leaders have criticized Trump’s remarks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set for a week-long European tour starting around May 18, with key engagements across Oslo, the Netherlands, and Italy. He will attend the India-Nordic summit focused on green energy and innovation, and hold discussions spanning trade, defence, and energy. A potential meeting with the Pope is also reportedly being considered.
Pope Leo XIV called for renewed peace talks between the United States and Iran to end the war, urging de-escalation through diplomacy. In the same remarks, he condemned capital punishment and urged humane treatment of migrants. He also suggested the Church should balance its focus on sexual morality with greater emphasis on justice and freedom as he returned from a trip to Africa.
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