Latest news with #VaticanProtocol
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pizzaballa, 60, Once Offered Himself in Exchange for Hostages. Now the Cardinal Could Be the Next Pope
An expert tells PEOPLE that Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was quite close to Pope Francis and is seen as being an "extremely skilled" diplomat Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa could be a contender to be Pope Francis' successor, some experts say The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem offered himself in exchange for children taken hostage by Hamas back in 2023 Pizzaballa is an experienced diplomat and one of three Italian cardinals seen as a possible papal contender, an expert tells PEOPLE As the world waits for Pope Francis' successor to be chosen, some say Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is a legitimate contender. The 60-year-old Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem has lived in the city since 1990, navigating a politically charged region and three major religions with grace, according to the New York Times. Although many people may have only heard of him recently (for one, his last name has inspired a number of memes), he previously made news when he offered himself up in exchange for children taken hostage by Hamas after their October 2023 attack on southern Israel. At the time, he had been a cardinal for just two weeks. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement "Anything, if this can lead to freedom and bring those children back home, no problem," he said while speaking with Vatican reporters. "On my part, absolute willingness." Reflecting on the reaction during a subsequent interview with CNN, Pizzaballa acknowledged that what he said that day was 'very naive" and noted that his comments were not universally well-received. 'Why Israeli children and not for the Palestinian children? My answer was… also for them I'm ready. No problem," he told the outlet. Related: Pope Francis Buried at St. Mary Major, a Church with 'Very Beautiful' Connection to His Faith Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Pope Francis presented the red biretta hat to Cardinal Pizzaballa on Sept. 30, 2023 at the Vatican. Two weeks before Francis' death on April 21, the cardinal spoke more about the war that has brought widespread devastation to Gaza. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement 'Every man of faith has questions, including myself,' said Pizzaballa, according to CNN. 'You are so frustrated from the situation, and you ask, 'Where are you?' to God. 'Where are you?' Then I come to myself and I understand the question should be, 'Where is man now? What have we done with our humanity?'' 'We cannot consider God guilty of what we are doing,' he said, according to CNN. Throughout his lifetime, Pope Francis was outspoken in his criticism of Israel, called for an end to the ongoing violence in Gaza and, in a final gift, sent his popemobile to serve as a health clinic for children in Gaza. Related: Nun Who Broke Vatican Protocol to Mourn Friend Pope Francis Remembers Him as a 'Brother' ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Pizzaballa, who grew up in poverty in northern Italy, has developed a reputation for his kindness to the poor and his ability to build connections between peoples. While he isn't based in the Vatican, his respect for traditional aspects of church practice have softened the perspective of some conservatives, the Times reported. The cardinal's connection to Italy, the storied seat of the Catholic Church for many centuries, also helps his chances. Carmine Soprano, a Vatican analyst and UN consultant, tells PEOPLE that the three Italian candidates, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Pizzaballa, were all "quite close to Francis." Each of the candidates would, "in different ways, represent a continuation of his progressive agenda," Soprano adds. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. the expert explains that Pizzaballa is 'one of the most experienced' people in the church in issues regarding the Middle East. 'These three are not only perceived to be Francis-friendly, and therefore progressive, but also to be extremely skilled diplomats,' Soprano continues. 'So, their election might signify that the Conclave is looking for someone who is not only trying to continue Francis' progressive agenda, but also has the skills and the Vatican inside knowledge that will almost certainly be required to push that agenda forward.' However, as other experts have told PEOPLE, when it comes to the conclave, anything can happen — and oftentimes, those seen as a frontrunners don't end up becoming pope. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Related: Who Will Be the Next Pope? Experts Say 'Anything Can Happen' (Exclusive) If elected as pope, it's his faith that will see him through. 'Faith is the only thing you can grasp, you can keep alive, in your life,' Pizzaballa previously told CNN. He added, 'faith is a way to transcend yourself, to go beyond yourself. Faith is to believe in someone else.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pizzaballa, 60, Once Offered Himself in Exchange for Hostages. Now the Cardinal Could Be the Next Pope
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa could be a contender to be Pope Francis' successor, some experts say The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem offered himself in exchange for children taken hostage by Hamas back in 2023 Pizzaballa is an experienced diplomat and one of three Italian cardinals seen as a possible papal contender, an expert tells PEOPLE As the world waits for Pope Francis' successor to be chosen, some say Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa is a legitimate contender. The 60-year-old Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem has lived in the city since 1990, navigating a politically charged region and three major religions with grace, according to the New York Times. Although many people may have only heard of him recently (for one, his last name has inspired a number of memes), he previously made news when he offered himself up in exchange for children taken hostage by Hamas after their October 2023 attack on southern Israel. At the time, he had been a cardinal for just two weeks. "Anything, if this can lead to freedom and bring those children back home, no problem," he said while speaking with Vatican reporters. "On my part, absolute willingness." Reflecting on the reaction during a subsequent interview with CNN, Pizzaballa acknowledged that what he said that day was 'very naive" and noted that his comments were not universally well-received. 'Why Israeli children and not for the Palestinian children? My answer was… also for them I'm ready. No problem," he told the outlet. Related: Pope Francis Buried at St. Mary Major, a Church with 'Very Beautiful' Connection to His Faith Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Pope Francis presented the red biretta hat to Cardinal Pizzaballa on Sept. 30, 2023 at the Vatican. Pope Francis presented the red biretta hat to Cardinal Pizzaballa on Sept. 30, 2023 at the Vatican. Two weeks before Francis' death on April 21, the cardinal spoke more about the war that has brought widespread devastation to Gaza. 'Every man of faith has questions, including myself,' said Pizzaballa, according to CNN. 'You are so frustrated from the situation, and you ask, 'Where are you?' to God. 'Where are you?' Then I come to myself and I understand the question should be, 'Where is man now? What have we done with our humanity?'' 'We cannot consider God guilty of what we are doing,' he said, according to CNN. Throughout his lifetime, Pope Francis was outspoken in his criticism of Israel, called for an end to the ongoing violence in Gaza and, in a final gift, sent his popemobile to serve as a health clinic for children in Gaza. Related: Nun Who Broke Vatican Protocol to Mourn Friend Pope Francis Remembers Him as a 'Brother' Pizzaballa, who grew up in poverty in northern Italy, has developed a reputation for his kindness to the poor and his ability to build connections between peoples. While he isn't based in the Vatican, his respect for traditional aspects of church practice have softened the perspective of some conservatives, the Times reported. The cardinal's connection to Italy, the storied seat of the Catholic Church for many centuries, also helps his chances. Carmine Soprano, a Vatican analyst and UN consultant, tells PEOPLE that the three Italian candidates, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Pizzaballa, were all "quite close to Francis." Each of the candidates would, "in different ways, represent a continuation of his progressive agenda," Soprano adds. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. the expert explains that Pizzaballa is 'one of the most experienced' people in the church in issues regarding the Middle East. 'These three are not only perceived to be Francis-friendly, and therefore progressive, but also to be extremely skilled diplomats,' Soprano continues. 'So, their election might signify that the Conclave is looking for someone who is not only trying to continue Francis' progressive agenda, but also has the skills and the Vatican inside knowledge that will almost certainly be required to push that agenda forward.' However, as other experts have told PEOPLE, when it comes to the conclave, anything can happen — and oftentimes, those seen as a frontrunners don't end up becoming pope. Related: Who Will Be the Next Pope? Experts Say 'Anything Can Happen' (Exclusive) If elected as pope, it's his faith that will see him through. 'Faith is the only thing you can grasp, you can keep alive, in your life,' Pizzaballa previously told CNN. He added, 'faith is a way to transcend yourself, to go beyond yourself. Faith is to believe in someone else.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Donald Trump Shares Fake Photo of Himself as the Pope Days After Saying He's His 'Number One Choice' for Pontiff's Replacement
Donald Trump shared a fake, AI-generated photo of himself as the pope on social media, 11 days after Pope Francis' death Critics of the image called it 'disrespectful' and said Trump was a 'man-child,' while others insisted it was a joke The post comes shortly after Trump joked that he is his 'number one choice' to replace the late pope Donald Trump has shared another fake, AI-generated image — this time of himself as the pope. Trump, 78, shared the photo on his Truth Social account on Friday, May 2, just days after jokingly stating he should succeed the late Pope Francis. The image was also shared 11 days after Francis died of a stroke at age 88, and six days after Trump attended the pontiff's funeral at the Vatican. The president shared no caption alongside the image, which depicts him sitting with a stern expression and holding up one finger while wearing white and gold papal attire, including a large cross necklace. Related: Lindsey Graham Asks Conclave to 'Keep an Open Mind' About Naming Donald Trump the New Pope The photo was quickly reposted across social media platforms, where it was met with heavy criticism. One viral post by an X account called 'Republicans Against Trump' shared the artificially enhanced image and wrote, in part, 'It's full-on lunacy at this point.' Harry Sisson, a vocal Democrat and political content creator, also received attention for his X post about the AI image, calling out the president for sharing such posts, instead of working to combat issues like rising inflation. "Trump just posted an AI image of himself as the Pope. Instead of working to bring down costs, he's doing this instead,' Sisson wrote. 'Nice job, MAGA! You elected a man-child.' Others, like X user @MissSassbox, criticized Trump for not only the content of the controversial post, but for making the 'disrespectful' choice to share it so soon after Francis' death. 'This is literally the President of the United States of America while the Vatican is still grieving the loss of Pope Francis and trying to pick his successor,' the user wrote. 'It's not even funny at this point, it's actually disrespectful and I'm not even Catholic.' Those defending the post on X, meanwhile, said it was 'clearly a joke,' and insisted that those who were upset by the image were 'taking the bait.' Related: Donald Trump Wears Blue to Pope Francis' Funeral. Did He Break Vatican Protocol? Earlier this week, Trump made headlines for jokingly naming himself as the 'number one choice' to succeed the late Francis. When asked by reporters on the White House lawn about his choice for the next pope, Trump mused for a second before answering with a smile. 'I'd like to be pope. That would be my number one choice,' he said, before stating more seriously that he has 'no preference' about the upcoming papal conclave, which is set to begin on May 7. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Trump's May 2 post is not the first time he has shared AI-generated content, sparking backlash. In February, the president shared a fake AI video of the war-torn Gaza Strip being transformed into a resort-like area, just a few weeks after suggesting that the United States could "take over" the Palestinian territory and turn it into something "magnificent." The video included a luxury building called 'Trump Gaza" and an AI version of Elon Musk, as well as a large golden Trump statue and areas with mini golden Trump figurines. It was set to a dance beat with a voice that sang, 'No more tunnels, no more fear / Trump Gaza is finally here!" Read the original article on People
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Did Prince William Wear a Blue Suit to Pope Francis' Funeral?
Prince William attended Pope Francis' funeral on behalf of his father, King Charles, over the weekend Like President Donald Trump, the Prince of Wales faced some criticism for wearing a dark blue suit instead of black clothing However, the Vatican doesn't list official funeral protocol, and a source told PEOPLE that attendees were only expected to wear 'appropriate attire' for the service Prince William was among the many dignitaries and heads of state who traveled to Rome to attend Pope Francis' funeral over the weekend. While the ceremony, held in St. Peter's Square on Saturday, April 26, was intended to honor the late pontiff, there was also attention on the attendees, including on what they chose to wear. The Prince of Wales — who attended the event on behalf of his father, King Charles — donned a navy suit with a white shirt, black tie and black dress shoes. Prince William, 42, wasn't the only attendee who wore blue instead of the more traditional option of black for the funeral. U.S. President Donald Trump, Jordan's King Abdullah and Indian President Draupadi Murmu all opted for blue ensembles for the event, drawing criticism on social media. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who dressed in black but not in a traditional suit, also had his sartorial choice analyzed online. Related: Donald Trump Wears Blue to Pope Francis' Funeral. Did He Break Vatican Protocol? However, Prince William, Trump and other attendees who wore a color other than black were not necessarily breaking protocol. The Vatican does not list an official funeral dress code on its website, and an insider told PEOPLE that attire for the ceremony was left up to the individual. "Attendees wore what they considered to be appropriate attire for such a solemn occasion," a Vatican source said. Prince William's blue suit and black tie combination is something he's worn for funerals in the past, including the November 2023 services for Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton. Related: Could an American Be the Next Pope? Here's Who Experts Say Might be the Top Contenders For the funeral of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth on September 19, 2022, Prince William wore his dress military uniform. However, his eldest son, Prince George, sported a navy suit, white shirt and black tie — a similar ensemble to what his father wore to mourn the late pope. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! While King Charles was not in attendance at the pope's funeral, he and Queen Camilla visited with the Catholic leader just 12 days before he died, on April 9. Upon news of Pope Francis' death, the King reflected on their final meeting in an official statement commemorating His Holiness, saying he and his wife were 'greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.' 'Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry,' he continued in the statement, via Buckingham Palace. 'His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others,' King Charles noted in his tribute. 'His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Last Group to Say Goodbye to Pope Francis' Coffin Included Trans People, Prisoners and the Poor
In one of the final moments from his funeral, Pope Francis' coffin was welcomed by members of marginalized groups near and dear to his heart. Before he died on Monday, April 21, the head of the Catholic Church had already arranged his final wishes — which included allowing 'poor and marginalized people' to be the last to pay their respects, the Vatican said. At the end of his funeral procession through Rome on Saturday, April 26, a group of about 40, consisting of 'poor people, homeless, prisoners, migrants and transgender individuals,' gathered at St. Mary Major Basilica, making them the last to say goodbye to the pontiff before his burial. Each person was given a single white rose. 'I find this a very moving choice, because Pope Francis is being received by the Mother he loved so much ... and by his favourite children, who will surround him on this final journey," Bishop Ambarus said of the choice, according to the Vatican. "I think it's something truly beautiful." The church said that according to Ambarus, almost all of the migrants and homeless individuals met Francis at least once, while the "small group of transgender individuals ... live with a community of nuns." Francis was long devoted to the poor — he took his papal name from Francis of Assisi — and, as pontiff, he upended the church's messaging with a more welcoming tone on the LGBTQ+ community, courting controversy from conservatives. However, he made clear that he was not pushing to change underlying doctrine about issues like same-sex marriage. Related: Pope Francis' Funeral Will Be 'Broadcast Worldwide' and Stream Online, with Hundreds of Thousands Expected to Attend Father Patrick Briscoe, a Dominican friar and the editor of Our Sunday Visitor magazine, tells PEOPLE that having "this group of marginalized persons on the steps of St. Mary Major is a beautiful last farewell" that "beautifully encapsulates and embodies Pope Francis' ministry." "Pope Francis spent his papacy trying to serve, drawing all his attention to the margins, the periphery, wanting everyone to know that they're loved by God, that they have a place in the Church," Briscoe says. "Pope Francis was famous for spending Holy Thursday, one of the most sacred nights of the year, washing the feet of migrants and of incarcerated persons," he adds. "It's not a statement about doctrine, but a symbol of openness and engagement." Related: Nun Who Was Pope Francis' Friend Breaks Vatican Protocol While Weeping Over His Casket From Wednesday, April 23, until his casket was sealed on Friday, April 25, hundreds of thousands of people waited in line for hours for a chance to pay their respects to Francis. "It was his compassion that really brought people to him," Sophia Cabello told PEOPLE after two hours of waiting in line. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The University of Dallas student who is studying abroad in Rome said: "Even people who aren't necessarily religious, people who aren't Catholic, I've seen giving condolences and really appreciating what he did in his life." "He was very important for us, so it only makes sense that we would be wanting to do as much as we can, pray as much as we can, love and pray for his soul as much as we can," Cabello continued. "It kind of feels unifying in a way, that people from all different parts of the world are coming just for this. It's a very special moment." Read the original article on People
