Pope Francis invited over 100 comedians from 15 different countries to a Vatican gathering on the 14th of June to highlight the importance of comedy and humor in society.
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Among the attendees were well-known figures like Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jim Gaffigan, and Whoopi Goldberg.
In his speech to the comedians, the pope stressed the role of humor in addressing "many social and personal emergencies". He noted that comedians have the "power to spread serenity and smile" in a chaotic world.
.jpg "Pope Francis Meets 100 Comedians At Vatican After Anti-Gay Slur Controversy - Pride Moment") |
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"You unite people because laughter is contagious," he said. He also discussed the relationship between comedy and Catholicism, suggesting that laughter can benefit God, who delights in His creations.
He asked, "Can we laugh at God? Certainly, in the same way that we joke and play with the people we love."
Pope Francis even made a Joke
During the 30-minute meeting, the 87-year-old pope made a sexist remark, joking that Sarah, Abraham's wife from the Old Testament, was nosy like women because she would spy on her husband to later scold him.
.jpg "Pope Francis Meets 100 Comedians At Vatican After Anti-Gay Slur Controversy - Pride Moment") |
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Before the event started, comedian Jimmy Fallon was seen joking around but was quickly asked to sit down as the pope was about to enter. After his speech, Pope Francis greeted each comedian, laughed with them, accepted gifts including a bottle of Italian liquor, and took selfies with the Italian comedy duo Pio and Amedeo.
This cultural event took place just before the pope's arrival at the G7 summit in Puglia, southern Italy. It was the first time the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics attended the meeting of the seven advanced nations.
.jpg "Pope Francis Meets 100 Comedians At Vatican After Anti-Gay Slur Controversy - Pride Moment") |
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Last month Pope Francis was accused of using anti-gay slurs
Two major Italian news agencies reported that Pope Francis repeated an anti-gay slur during a meeting with priests in Rome last month, a term he was accused of using two weeks earlier with Italian bishops.
The Vatican's summary of the meeting only mentioned that the pope had warned against admitting gay men into Roman Catholic seminaries. However, the reports from anonymous sources present at the meeting, claimed he used an offensive Italian slang term for gay men.
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Francesco Langella, the communications director for the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome where the meeting occurred, confirmed that the pope used the slang word but did not provide further context. A Vatican spokesperson also declined to comment on the matter.
Pope Francis was accused of using the same term last month during a private meeting with Italian bishops. According to reports, he had been asked whether openly gay men should be admitted into seminaries and used the slur to describe an excess of gay men at the priests’ colleges.
This led to a significant backlash, and the pope issued an apology through the Holy See’s press office, stating, “The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term, reported by others.”
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Vatican News, the Holy See’s online news site, summarized the meeting by saying the pope “spoke about the danger of ideologies in the church” and emphasized that while the church should welcome people “with homosexual tendencies,” it should be cautious about admitting them into seminaries.
The Vatican also said the closed-door meeting addressed issues such as substance abuse, low voter turnout, and wars in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other regions.
Pope Francis has been noted for his efforts to welcome L.G.B.T.Q. individuals into the Roman Catholic Church, promoting an inclusive message and allowing priests to bless same-sex couples. However, his reported use of the slur has upset and alienated some L.G.B.T.Q. members within and outside the church.
After the reports in May, a gay priest expressed his disappointment in America magazine, writing, “We need more than an apology for Pope Francis’ homophobic slur.” Italian politician Alessandro Zan, a prominent advocate for L.G.B.T.Q. rights, wrote on social media, “There is not too much ‘frociaggine.’ There are too many homophobes.”