The Pope and a Communist Dictator

Jun 28, 2026 - 04:00
The Pope and a Communist Dictator

Above: Nicolae Ceaușescu with Kim Il Sung of North Korea in 1978. A Romanian joke from the time of the Communist dictatorship went like this: Question: Why can’t Nicolae Ceaușescu invite the Pope to Bucharest? Answer: Because the people greeting the guest upon his arrival would have to shout: “Ceaușescu, Papa!” For those who do not know Romanian, the joke makes no sense.

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