"The things I say are not meant as attacks on anyone," Pope Leo XIVsaid on Monday as he flew to Algiers for a four-day African tour.
"I am not a politician. I am inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation of looking for ways to avoid war any time that's possible."
Asked about criticism from US President Donald Trump of him over the US-Israel war with Iran,, Leo answered that he was "not afraid of the Trump administration."
What happened between the Pope and Trump?
President Trump, members of his administration, and many of his most ardent supporters have invoked Christianity as a justification for strikes on Iran.
At Palm Sunday mass on March 29, Leo, without mentioning any names, said in his sermon: "This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war...(Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.'"
Can Pope Leo move President Trump on the Iran war?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
This past Saturday, he more directly referenced the US-Israel led war in Iran, denouncing the "horror and inhumanity" and pleading with leaders to pursue diplomacy instead.
"Enough of the idolatry of self and money!" the pontiff said. "Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!"
It was this latest statement that seemed to prompt Trump's latest outburst against the leader of the Catholic Church on his Truth Social platform. He said Leo was "terrible" at foreign policy and implied that he had been elected as the first American pope solely in order to deal with Trump.
The president also said Leo was not "doing a very good job" and that "he's a very liberal person," while also suggesting the pontiff should "stop catering to the Radical Left."
Leo appeared unruffled when giving his latest statements on the matter, telling reporters on the plane to Algeria that he "will not shy away from announcing the message of the gospel."
"The message of the gospel is very clear: 'blessed are the peacemakers.'"
