The relationship between Salvini and the Vatican is more tense: the Pope responded

"A politician should never sow hatred and fear, but simply hope, we must help them to be honest and not to campaign with dishonest banners: slander, defamation, scandal." Without wishing to of names – although Mateo Salvini has asked directly – Pope Francis has insurgent against populism advocating a Europe of "divisions and borders".

During the traditional meeting with the media on the return flight from Romania to Rome, Bergoglio stressed that the old continent "must learn the lessons of its history" because "if Europe is not big face future challenges, she will fade. "

Borders and ideologies

"We see borders in Europe and this is not good, it is true that each country has its own identity and must protect it, but please, Europe does not let itself overwhelm with pessimism and ideology because it is attacked by ideologies and grupillos, "he lamented.

I said that Europe as a mother is becoming a grandmother. Perhaps someone can ask secretly if the adventure begun 70 years ago would not be over, "warned the pontiff, who urged European leaders to" recover the mysticism of the founding fathers. " "and that the European Union" rediscovers itself "itself and overcome division and borders".

"To think of a divided Europe, to learn from history and not to go back to the past," insisted the pope, who considered it "imprudent" to value gestures such as Salvini, who campaigned by kissing a rosary while criticizing the Vatican for defending refugees.

Corruption, an illness

"We must help politicians to be honest," said Francisco Francisco, who lamented that "sowing hatred is terrible" and leads to corruption. "Corruption is one of the diseases of politics around the world".

Francisco was also questioned about the health of Benedict XVI. "Every time I visit him, I see him as a grandparent, I take his hand and I make him speak, speak little, slowly, but with the same depth as usual," he said. Pontife, who wanted to erase the rumors that Ratzinger would be a kind of "Pope in the shadow" against the reforms of Francisco.

"Benoît's problem is the knees, not the head.He has a great lucidity and listening, I become strong, I feel the essence of the roots and he helps me to go from there. Before, "said the pope, who, despite everything, said" there are some fundamentalist Catholic groups, "and asked" to pray for them. "