NYC mayor visits Pope Francis to discuss war in Gaza
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, who talks often about his faith, acknowledged Saturday that he had felt some uncertainty – if not anxiety – about meeting Pope Francis.
But at the Vatican, as Adams stooped before the pope, he felt any disquiet he had wash away. Francis placed his hand on the mayor’s right arm. Then, the two shook hands.
“I think that some people have a level of aura and energy and the ability to just calm people,” said Adams, who is Christian but not Catholic. “I think that’s what he possessed. In my prayers, I thank God for having the opportunity this morning.”
The meeting came on the second day of a threeday trip to Italy for Adams, who said he is trying to better understand the global conflicts that touch New York. The visit came as the mayor, who is up for reelection next year, faces difficulties in New York City, including lagging poll numbers and a federal investigation into his campaign fundraising.
There was no specific agenda for the meeting between the mayor and Francis, which came as the pope met with participants of a conference about peace. But after the meeting, Adams said the two spoke about conflicts in Haiti, Africa and the Middle East. They talked about the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, a nonprofit created by Robert Kraft, the owner of the
NFL’s New England Patriots.
“He responded affirmatively and said: ‘Eric, please pray for me as well,’ ” the mayor said.
Adams and the pope took part in the World Meeting on Human Fraternity, a conference organized by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, which was founded by Francis, that brought Nobel laureates and celebrities to Rome to promote peace.
“War is a deception, as is the idea of international security based on the deterrent of fear,” Francis told people attending the conference, who gathered at the Vatican on Saturday. “Ensuring lasting peace requires a return to a recognition of common humanity and to place fraternity at the center of peoples’ lives.”
Adams said it was a “sacred moment for me just to have an opportunity to hear from Pope Francis as he leads the world on the most important issues of our time, from the global refugee crisis to climate change, to the journey toward peace.”
The mayor often speaks publicly about how his Christian faith informs the way he governs. He has said he does not believe in the separation of church and state and has described himself as a “prayer warrior.” He has even criticized the removal of prayer in schools.
On Saturday, the mayor made several stops in Rome. After the meeting, he showed up at the formerly dilapidated Piazza di San Cosimato. Then, he went to the World Meeting on Human Fraternity conference.