"I certainly think that in some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality... and let the President United States stick to dictating American public policy," Vance told Fox News's "Special Report with Bret Baier."

Pope Leo told Reuters on Monday that he plans to continue speaking out against war after President Trump direct attack on the leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church.

In comments aboard the papal flight to Algiers, where the first US pope is starting a 10-day tour to four African countries, the pontiff also said the Christian message was being "abused".

"I don't want to get into a debate with him," Leo told Reuters as he greeted journalists on the plane. "I don't think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing."

"I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems," he said, speaking in English.

"Too many people are suffering in the world today," said Leo. "Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say: 'There's a better way'."

"The message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the Peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician," he said.

Leo, originally from Chicago, has ​emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran in recent weeks and decried the "madness of war" in a peace appeal on Saturday.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Monday that President Trump's attack on Pope Leo was "unacceptable,"  joining forces with politicians of all colours in springing to the pontiff's defence.

The statement represented an extremely rare public rebuke of Trump from Meloni, who has cultivated particularly close ties with the US president, underscoring widespread anger in Italy over his broadside on Pope Leo.

Meloni issued an initial statement backing Leo as he flew off on an ambitious four-nation visit to Africa, but made no specific mention of Trump's broadside. 

Opposition politicians accused her of lacking the courage to directly challenge Trump, prompting her to issue a second statement later in the day to clarify her position.

"I find President Trump's words towards the Holy Father unacceptable. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to condemn every form of war," she said.

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