Pope Francis is really bold. Upon receiving Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday, May 16 at the Vatican, he called him an “angel of peace.” He underscored it by giving him a medallion that he said represented the “angel of peace destroying the bad spirit of war.” The gift was appropriate he said because “you are an angel of peace.”
This was not the first time he has complimented the leader of the PLO, a terrorist organization. During his visit to Israel and the West Bank in 2014, Francis called both Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres, men of peace.
The pope’s public statements are probably political. Perhaps he is trying to maneuver both men into a position where he can mediate between the PLO and Israel.
Abbas was attending the canonization of two 19th-century nuns and present Francis with some relics of the new saints. The Catholic Church canonized the nuns and touted them as a sign of hope and encouragement for Christians in the Middle East. The Catholic Church always tries to show solidarity with the oppressed and persecuted, but she uses that solidarity to strengthen her political ties.
The PLO leader’s visit came just days after the Vatican finalized a bilateral treaty with the PLO recognizing its statehood.
“To this end, the wish was reiterated that with the support of the international community, Israelis and Palestinians may take with determination courageous decisions to promote peace,” a Vatican statement said, adding that interreligious dialogue was needed to combat terrorism.
“All the word wondered…” Revelation 13:3
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