The outspoken American Pope was seen covered in dirt while wearing his pure white Papal robes in Annaba, Angola, after meeting boy scouts planting an olive tree
Pope Leo has been captured in a set of new photos literally getting his hands dirty days following a terse exchange of comments with Donald Trump about the Iran war.
The Pope landed in Africa with calls for peace and the end of “neocolonial tendencies” on Monday, beginning the major tour in Algeria following an extraordinary broadside by President Donald Trump over his criticism of the US-Israeli war with Iran. His 11-day tour will take him from Algeria through an additional three countries – Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea – in the growing heart of the Catholic Church.
He has since moved on to Hippo, in the seaport city of Annaba, where on Tuesday he was seen shaking hands with boy scouts planting olive trees.
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In a new set of candid pictures, the outspoken world leader was seen grimacing after coming away from the embrace, which left his hands covered in dirt.
The pontiff, who was dressed completely in white, could be seen turning to his companions, some of whom appeared to be chuckling at the encounter. Other pictures taken during the visit showed the mud-covered pontiff reaching out to an aide while a senior clergyman smiled in the background.
Leo is in Algeria to promote Christian-Muslim coexistence in the majority Muslim nation at a time of global conflict, and to honor the locally born inspiration of his religious spirituality, St. Augustine.
The trip began, however, against the backdrop of a growing feud between the Leo and Trump over the Iran war. Trump overnight said he didn’t think Leo was doing a good job as pope and suggested he should “stop catering to the Radical Left.” Leo responded by saying his appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he didn’t fear the Trump administration.
