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| Pope Francis, in Romania, Warns of Populism’s Dangers | Pope Francis, in Romania, Warns of Populism’s Dangers |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| BUCHAREST, Romania — Days after European elections emboldened nationalists in the heart of Europe, Pope Francis arrived on Friday in Romania, on the Catholic and European periphery, to appeal for unity and assert himself as the global conscience on the dangers of populism. | BUCHAREST, Romania — Days after European elections emboldened nationalists in the heart of Europe, Pope Francis arrived on Friday in Romania, on the Catholic and European periphery, to appeal for unity and assert himself as the global conscience on the dangers of populism. |
| In his three-day trip to the former communist country, now a staunchly pro-European member state, the pope will try to heal an ancient schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. | In his three-day trip to the former communist country, now a staunchly pro-European member state, the pope will try to heal an ancient schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. |
| But he reminded the Continent of its common values and lent support to Romanian emigrants and a Roma ethnic minority that, in some countries, has again become a target of right-wing vitriol. | But he reminded the Continent of its common values and lent support to Romanian emigrants and a Roma ethnic minority that, in some countries, has again become a target of right-wing vitriol. |
| “To move forward together, as a way of shaping the future, requires a noble willingness to sacrifice something of one’s own vision or best interest for the sake of a greater project,” said Francis in the first papal visit to Romania since John Paul II came here 20 years ago. Addressing the country’s leaders, he added that cooperation “makes it possible to advance securely toward shared goals.” | “To move forward together, as a way of shaping the future, requires a noble willingness to sacrifice something of one’s own vision or best interest for the sake of a greater project,” said Francis in the first papal visit to Romania since John Paul II came here 20 years ago. Addressing the country’s leaders, he added that cooperation “makes it possible to advance securely toward shared goals.” |
| In recent years populists have surged from the margins to bring down or weaken the pope’s pro-European allies, most recently in France and his own Italian backyard. | In recent years populists have surged from the margins to bring down or weaken the pope’s pro-European allies, most recently in France and his own Italian backyard. |
| On Friday, Romania seemed more welcoming to his message. Around the historic center, images of the smiling pope hung over cobblestone streets dotted with Orthodox churches and outdoor cafes. In a compact blue Dacia, he rode past the spot where the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu gave his final speech from a balcony now adorned in a blue banner proudly noting that Romania, which joined the European Union in 2007, holds the bloc’s rotating presidency. | On Friday, Romania seemed more welcoming to his message. Around the historic center, images of the smiling pope hung over cobblestone streets dotted with Orthodox churches and outdoor cafes. In a compact blue Dacia, he rode past the spot where the dictator Nicolae Ceausescu gave his final speech from a balcony now adorned in a blue banner proudly noting that Romania, which joined the European Union in 2007, holds the bloc’s rotating presidency. |
| Marching bands greeted the pope at Cotroceni Palace. But the pope’s meeting with government officials on a cloudy afternoon comes at a tense period for Romania. | Marching bands greeted the pope at Cotroceni Palace. But the pope’s meeting with government officials on a cloudy afternoon comes at a tense period for Romania. |
| On Monday, Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the governing center-left Social Democrats and the most powerful politician in the country, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for abuse of office. | On Monday, Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the governing center-left Social Democrats and the most powerful politician in the country, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for abuse of office. |
| And over the weekend, the party hemorrhaged support in European Parliament elections after years of engaging in what Brussels considered backsliding in its fight against corruption. | And over the weekend, the party hemorrhaged support in European Parliament elections after years of engaging in what Brussels considered backsliding in its fight against corruption. |
| On Friday, the pope addressed those challenges, but also the domestic conditions that have compelled millions of Romanians to leave the country “in order to seek new opportunities for employment and a dignified existence.” | On Friday, the pope addressed those challenges, but also the domestic conditions that have compelled millions of Romanians to leave the country “in order to seek new opportunities for employment and a dignified existence.” |
| While congratulating Romania on the enormous strides it had made since its liberation 30 years ago, he encouraged its leaders to strengthen its institutions to “respond to the legitimate aspirations of the citizenry.” | While congratulating Romania on the enormous strides it had made since its liberation 30 years ago, he encouraged its leaders to strengthen its institutions to “respond to the legitimate aspirations of the citizenry.” |
| After addressing the political leaders, Francis, who ended the day celebrating a Catholic mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, shifted his focus to church politics. | After addressing the political leaders, Francis, who ended the day celebrating a Catholic mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, shifted his focus to church politics. |
| In a room at the patriarchal palace, lined on opposite sides with Catholic and Orthodox clerics, Francis and the Patriarch Daniel, the leader of the Romanian Orthodox church, sat in matching white robes. | In a room at the patriarchal palace, lined on opposite sides with Catholic and Orthodox clerics, Francis and the Patriarch Daniel, the leader of the Romanian Orthodox church, sat in matching white robes. |
| Francis urged his “brother” not to dwell on the church’s past conflicts, urging him to instead have a “memory of roots” that he called “sound and sure” even if “their growth has undergone the twists and turns of time.” | Francis urged his “brother” not to dwell on the church’s past conflicts, urging him to instead have a “memory of roots” that he called “sound and sure” even if “their growth has undergone the twists and turns of time.” |
| He said the two churches needed to “help one another” beat back the tide of secularism and “a growing sense of fear that, often skillfully stoked, leads to attitudes of rejection and hate.” | He said the two churches needed to “help one another” beat back the tide of secularism and “a growing sense of fear that, often skillfully stoked, leads to attitudes of rejection and hate.” |
| The two leaders then took turns saying the Lord’s Prayer in their own languages in a new Romanian Orthodox cathedral. | The two leaders then took turns saying the Lord’s Prayer in their own languages in a new Romanian Orthodox cathedral. |
| Similar to Bulgaria, which the pope visited this month to a chilly reception, Romania is overwhelmingly Orthodox. In 1999, it became the first predominantly Orthodox country visited by a pope — John Paul II — since the schism of 1054. | Similar to Bulgaria, which the pope visited this month to a chilly reception, Romania is overwhelmingly Orthodox. In 1999, it became the first predominantly Orthodox country visited by a pope — John Paul II — since the schism of 1054. |
| Some Romanian Catholics, who compose around 5 percent of the population, have noticed a colder shoulder in the dozen or so years since Patriarch Daniel was chosen to lead the church. | Some Romanian Catholics, who compose around 5 percent of the population, have noticed a colder shoulder in the dozen or so years since Patriarch Daniel was chosen to lead the church. |
| “The distance between the two churches has grown since 2008,’’ said Mihai Fratila, the Greek Catholic bishop of Bucharest. “It’s a shame because there are mixed families that have no problem sharing” their Christian faiths. | “The distance between the two churches has grown since 2008,’’ said Mihai Fratila, the Greek Catholic bishop of Bucharest. “It’s a shame because there are mixed families that have no problem sharing” their Christian faiths. |
| Deacon Ionut Mavrichi, a Romanian Orthodox Church spokesman, said that his church’s leaders considered the relationship to be “very good.” He said the Romanian Orthodox Church was able to help its flock in the vast Romanian diaspora “because we are being received especially by the Catholic church, and are able to serve the liturgy in Catholic buildings.” | Deacon Ionut Mavrichi, a Romanian Orthodox Church spokesman, said that his church’s leaders considered the relationship to be “very good.” He said the Romanian Orthodox Church was able to help its flock in the vast Romanian diaspora “because we are being received especially by the Catholic church, and are able to serve the liturgy in Catholic buildings.” |
| Beyond the relations between the churches, Rev. Francisc Dobos, a spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest, said he hoped the visit would inspire tolerance across a Europe increasingly marked by “the fear of the other.” | Beyond the relations between the churches, Rev. Francisc Dobos, a spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest, said he hoped the visit would inspire tolerance across a Europe increasingly marked by “the fear of the other.” |
| Romania has not seen the rise of hard-right populists whose aggressive language against migrants has alarmed the pope. | Romania has not seen the rise of hard-right populists whose aggressive language against migrants has alarmed the pope. |
| On Monday — the day after Marine Le Pen’s far-right party in France dealt a major setback to President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Matteo Salvini shattered his competition in the European vote — Francis worried that fear of migrants was “making us intolerant, closed and perhaps even — without realizing it — racist.” | |
| The Bible teaching that “the last shall be first,” Francis said, reminded him most of migrants. That night, on Italian television, Mr. Salvini was asked if he didn’t see a certain dissonance in campaigning with rosary beads while using the “Italians First” language that seemed opposed to the pope’s message. | The Bible teaching that “the last shall be first,” Francis said, reminded him most of migrants. That night, on Italian television, Mr. Salvini was asked if he didn’t see a certain dissonance in campaigning with rosary beads while using the “Italians First” language that seemed opposed to the pope’s message. |
| “The last shall come first,” Mr. Salvini said. “Among the Italians.” | “The last shall come first,” Mr. Salvini said. “Among the Italians.” |
| It is not only migrants for whom Francis has expressed concern. | It is not only migrants for whom Francis has expressed concern. |
| Mr. Salvini, Italy’s interior minister, has proposed a census of Italy’s Roma population to expel those without citizenship and has livestreamed the bulldozing of some of their encampments. | Mr. Salvini, Italy’s interior minister, has proposed a census of Italy’s Roma population to expel those without citizenship and has livestreamed the bulldozing of some of their encampments. |
| Critics have recalled that Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator Mr. Salvini sometimes echoes, destroyed nomad camps and called the Roma “subhuman.” He ultimately sent at least a half million Roma to die alongside Jews in Nazi death camps. | Critics have recalled that Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator Mr. Salvini sometimes echoes, destroyed nomad camps and called the Roma “subhuman.” He ultimately sent at least a half million Roma to die alongside Jews in Nazi death camps. |
| In Bucharest, in a quiet square near urbane coffee shops, the city’s Holocaust memorial notes that 25,000 Roma were deported alongside hundreds of thousands of Jews throughout Romanian occupied territory. An estimated 11,000 Roma were killed. | In Bucharest, in a quiet square near urbane coffee shops, the city’s Holocaust memorial notes that 25,000 Roma were deported alongside hundreds of thousands of Jews throughout Romanian occupied territory. An estimated 11,000 Roma were killed. |
| In May, after neo-fascists in Rome violently protested Roma families who had been given spots in Italian public housing, Francis invited 500 Roma to meet him at the Vatican. He told them that despite the government’s attitude, they were “not second-class citizens.” | In May, after neo-fascists in Rome violently protested Roma families who had been given spots in Italian public housing, Francis invited 500 Roma to meet him at the Vatican. He told them that despite the government’s attitude, they were “not second-class citizens.” |
| On Sunday the pope will travel to Blaj, in Transylvania, where he will meet representatives of the Roma community, a clear effort to amplify his concern for their plight. | On Sunday the pope will travel to Blaj, in Transylvania, where he will meet representatives of the Roma community, a clear effort to amplify his concern for their plight. |
| “A message, particularly from the pope, on the Roma community of Blaj, or anywhere, it doesn’t matter, will be very helpful for us,” said Damian Draghici, a renowned Roma musician who became a counselor to the Romanian government on Roma affairs and was later elected to the European Parliament. | “A message, particularly from the pope, on the Roma community of Blaj, or anywhere, it doesn’t matter, will be very helpful for us,” said Damian Draghici, a renowned Roma musician who became a counselor to the Romanian government on Roma affairs and was later elected to the European Parliament. |
| On the eve of the pope’s arrival in Bucharest, Mr. Draghici walked around a Roma community on the outskirts of Bucharest. As dogs barked and traditional Roma music emanated from behind wooden walls, he greeted families living in warrens of tiny rooms padded with mattresses, amid hallways cluttered with stacked pots, plastic tubs of water for laundry and worn soccer balls. Plywood and exposed wires hung from the ceiling. | On the eve of the pope’s arrival in Bucharest, Mr. Draghici walked around a Roma community on the outskirts of Bucharest. As dogs barked and traditional Roma music emanated from behind wooden walls, he greeted families living in warrens of tiny rooms padded with mattresses, amid hallways cluttered with stacked pots, plastic tubs of water for laundry and worn soccer balls. Plywood and exposed wires hung from the ceiling. |
| Some residents knew the pope was coming, and were happy. | Some residents knew the pope was coming, and were happy. |
| Mr. Draghici said Francis served as a counterweight to Europe’s populists, including Mr. Salvini and Ms. Le Pen, whom he used to debate in the European Parliament. He said he came to regret engaging with them on the plight of his people, so he stopped. | Mr. Draghici said Francis served as a counterweight to Europe’s populists, including Mr. Salvini and Ms. Le Pen, whom he used to debate in the European Parliament. He said he came to regret engaging with them on the plight of his people, so he stopped. |
| “It’s better for them because it gets them more attention,” he said, adding that they brought up the Roma situation only when they were trying to attract votes. For the populists, he said, “you can’t go wrong with the Roma.” | “It’s better for them because it gets them more attention,” he said, adding that they brought up the Roma situation only when they were trying to attract votes. For the populists, he said, “you can’t go wrong with the Roma.” |