Economics
The Pope Is One of the Most Skilled Politicians on Earth
Pope Francis greets the faithful as he arrives at the Don Gnocchi Centre for the elderly and disabled for the Maundy Thursday Mass on April 17, 2014 in Rome.
Photographer: Franco Origlia/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
He’s met with a transgender man, told Catholics not to breed like rabbits and washed the feet of a Muslim woman. While all this may sound like he’s ready to overturn dogma, it turns out that Pope Francis is just as interested in geopolitics.
In less than two years in office, he’s nudged the conversation away from abusive priests and used the image makeover to wade into conflicts from helping to restore Cuban-U.S. ties to lobbying for a global climate accord. In September, he will become the first religious leader who serves as a head of state to address a joint session of Congress.