Pope Francis compared the EU’s attempts to enforce woke language rules and banned the use of the term Christmas to a Nazi dictatorship.
After a four-day visit to Greece, the pope (84) warned that the bloc should not ‘take the road of ideological colonization’.
The EU was accused last week of trying to cancel Christmas. Staff were told to use the term ‘holiday period,’ as it might offend non-Christians.
Eurocrats released the rule as part of their guide on inclusive communication months before, which details leaked causing a furious backlash.
The book also suggested that Christian names like John and Mary be replaced with international names, such as Malika or Julio for generic uses. It also recommended changing the term’man-made’ to ‘human-induced.
The pontiff said the language diktats, which the European Commissioner for Equality admitted ‘clearly needed more work’, ‘a fad, watered-down secularism’.
Pope Francis, pictured with an Acropolis model while returning from Greece with Pope Francis, has said that the EU is a Nazi dictatorship because it tries to enforce woke language rules and prohibit the use of the term Christmas.
He said while on board the papal plane on return to the Vatican: ‘It is something that throughout history has not worked.
“In history, many dictatorships tried to do this.” You can think of Napoleon and Nazi Germany, or the Communist regime.
He added that the EU is ‘necessary’ but it needs to avoid stirring up divisions among its member states.
He stated that the European Union must not follow an ideology colonization path. It could lead to a division of countries, and the EU’s failure.
Helena Dalli was the EU’s equality commissar. The guide (pictured) was published back in October. However, its contents have just been made public
‘The European Union must respect each country’s internal structure, its variety and not try to make them uniform — I don’t think it will do that, it wasn’t its intention, but it must be careful, because sometimes they come and throw projects like this one out there.’
Staff were also instructed by the EU to “avoid presuming that everybody is Christian” and to not assume that all Christians are Christians.
Staff were instructed to tell their colleagues that ‘Christmas can be stressful’ instead of saying it.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin claimed that the EU tried to ‘cancel their roots’, ignoring Europe’s Christian heritage and instead of respecting it.
He stated that Europe is dependent on many influences. However, it’s not hard to remember that Christianity was one of those influences.
Matteo Salvini (leader of Italy’s right-wing League Party and ex-Deputy Prime Minister) accused the EU’s ‘folly’ for publishing the rules.
Mary, the mother. John, the dad. Long live the holy Christmas … I hope that in Europe, no one will be offended,’ he tweeted.
Antonio Tajani (an ex-European Commissioner, and an ally to Silvio Berlusconi) also posted his critique – suggesting that the EU was fighting for ‘common sense.
Brussels later announced its intention to withdraw the book. It stated that the guidelines required more work.
Italy and Vatican led the backlash against the guidelines, with Vatican secretary of state the Holy See accusing Europe of trying to “cancel” Europe’s Christian roots. (file image).
Helena Dalli was the EU’s equality Commissioner who created the guide in the context of an equality agenda promoted by Ursula von der Leyen. She claimed that it was just a draft document and would need to be changed after “a few concerns were raised”.
She added that “We are investigating these concerns in the hope of addressing them with an updated version of our guidelines.”
This isn’t the first time that the EU issued guidelines to employees on “inclusive” language.
Back in 2018, staff at the European Parliament were issued with a similar guide that advised against using gendered language such as ‘manpower’ and ‘mankind’.
New guidelines for EU translators discourage frequent use of’man’ and ‘woman’ within official texts.
The guide suggested that words such as “chairman” should be replaced with “chairperson”, and that “policeman” or a “policewoman” can be substituted for the title of ‘police officer”.
This also advised that the term stewardess be avoided, in favor of flight attendant. The principal should be replaced by headmaster or headmistress.
As he called the neglecting migrants the’shipwreck civilisation,’ the pope made a return to Lesbos during his Greek visit.
Pope Francis gives a speech today during a meeting of refugees at the Reception and Identification Centre, (RIC), in Mytilene, on the island Lesbos
As authorities attempt to deal with them on Lesbos, thousands of migrants find themselves trapped in dire circumstances.
In 2016, the pope visited Lesbos. He has been a long-standing advocate for migrants.
The pope said that there were people in Europe who treat the issue as an irrelevant matter. He spent about two hours at Lesbos Mavrovouni, where more than 2,200 asylum seekers are housed.
He met many child asylum seekers at the camp and his relatives behind steel barriers. Then he stopped and hugged Mustafa.
Francis spoke to one group via his interpreter, saying “I’m trying to help,” Later, people gathered under a tent and sang songs and psalms for the pontiff.
Pope Francis said that the Mediterranean was becoming “a graveyard without tombstones” and that “after all these years, we can see that very little has changed in regard to migration.”
He stated that the root causes must be addressed, not just the people living in poverty who suffer the consequences or are used to propagandist purposes.