5 unforgettable moments from Trump’s Vatican visit
What you need to know:
- The Pope asked first lady Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia, what she was feeding her husband.
- “What do you give him (Trump) to eat, potizza?”. She replied “potizza” which is a Slovenian baked treat that is prepared with a leavened dough and can be eaten with various types of filling.
Trump’s first-time visit to the Vatican was not without its dramatic, if not hilarious, moments. The Pope, who has openly voiced his concerns about a Trump presidency, did not hold back his comments this time either, crowning the visit with a 32-page letter on climate change as his gift to Trump!
When Trump was campaigning for president he said he was planning to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. In his response, Pope Francis said, “A person who only thinks about building walls, wherever they may be, and not about building bridges, is not a Christian.”
Trump shot back by saying a religious leader voicing such sentiments was “disgraceful.” Well, on Wednesday they met privately for 30 minutes and a number of interesting things stood out:
Gifts of words
Pope Francis gave Trump a signed and bound copy of his remarks from the last World Peace Day in September, plus a set of English-language translations of his papal writings, including his 2015 remarks on climate change.
It's a well-known fact that Trump is a climate change sceptic. Trump gifted the Pope with a box set of the writings of assassinated human rights activist Martin Luther King Jr, whom Francis has expressed admiration for in the past.
What are you feeding Trump on, Melania?
The Pope asked first lady Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia, what she was feeding her husband. “What do you give him [Trump] to eat, potizza?” She replied, “Potizza,” a Slovenian baked treat prepared with leavened dough and can be eaten with various types of filling.
The US media went on a frenzy, confusing the food with the better-known pizza.
Melania asked the Pope to bless Trump’s rosary
President Trump has been called blasphemous because of his Twitter posts. The world did not miss the irony in Melania’s request.
All protocol observed, unlike in Saudi Arabia
Both Melania and Trump;s daughter Ivanka dressed in black and donned veils, a conservative and appropriate look noticed the world over. This was in stark contrast to their dressing in Saudi Arabia, where they were accused of not conforming to the country’s requirements to cover up.
Vatican rules require women who have an audience with the Pope to wear long sleeves, formal black clothing and a veil over their heads. Short skirts and sleeveless shirts are not permitted when attending a papal event in St Peter’s Square or St Peter’s Basilica.
Trump promised to preach peace
After the closed-door meeting, the controversial president promised to preach peace. He tweeted: “Honor of a lifetime to meet His Holiness Pope Francis. I leave the Vatican more determined than ever to pursue PEACE in our world.”
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