News / Germany

Pope says angered Merkel by calling Europe ‘barren’ in 2014

Tuesday, 09 February 2016 8:57 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 09 February 2016 11:00 AM ]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pope Francis hold talks in the Vatican on February 21, 2015. ©AFP

Pope Francis reveals that he received a furious response from German Chancellor Angela Merkel after he referred to Europe as “barren” and “no longer fertile ground” in a 2014 speech.

The head of the Catholic Church said in a Monday interview with Italy’s Corriere della Sera daily that his 2014 address to the European Parliament on a “haggard” Europe prompted Merkel to give the pontiff an angry phone call afterward.

The German leader “was a bit angry because I had compared Europe to a barren woman, incapable of producing children,” said Pope Francis.

Pope had said Europe was a “grandmother” and called it “elderly and haggard” as the continent was grappling with economic woes and high unemployment.

In the phone conversation, Merkel asked him if he “really thought Europe could no longer make children.”

“I told her yes it can, and many, because Europe has strong and deep roots,” said Pope, adding that “in the darkest moments, it has always shown itself to have unexpected resources.”

In his address, Pope also called on Europe to do more to prevent the deaths of thousands of refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea on their path to the Green continent.

Europe has been facing an unprecedented influx of refugees who are fleeing war and violence in Africa and the Middle East, particularly Syria.

Over one million refugees reached Europe’s shores in 2015. Over 3,700 people either died or went missing in their journey into the continent, according to figures released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk