The US president, Joe Biden, assured that the pope told him that he is “a good Catholic” that must “continue to receive communion” , in the long meeting they held at the Vatican, in which they discussed the climate crisis and assistance to migration , and where closeness and cordiality reigned.
Pope Francis and Biden clasped hands as a sign of friendship , according to the images provided by the Vatican, while they spoke and also There were moments when the pontiff laughed at the words of the president , the second Catholic president in the history of the United States to be received by a pope, after John Kennedy.
It was an honor to meet with Pope Francis again at the Vatican today. I thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution, and lauded his leadership in fighting the climate crisis and ending the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/PGF5axSK4X
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 29, 2021
This cordiality seems to turn the page on the relations between the Vatican and the United States during the Donald administration Trump.
In addition, the Democratic president visited the Vatican amid the criticism that he has been subjected to by the most conservative sectors of the American Catholic Church for his position in favor of abortion rights, which does not seem to have made the meeting tense.
Asked if they had spoken about their position on abortion rights, Biden replied: “No, we did not. We only talked about the fact that he was happy that I was a good Catholic and that I should continue to receive communion. ”
The private meeting between the two lasted 75 minutes, exceeding 50 that Francisco dedicated to Barack Obama and the just 30 of Trump , while afterwards Biden spent almost another hour with the secretary of state and head of Vatican diplomacy, Pietro Parolin.
Climate, pandemic and assistance to migrants
According to a note from the Vatican, during the private meeting they spoke “ of the common commitment to the protection and care of the planet, the health situation and the fight against the Covid pandemic – 19 “, but the pope also insisted to Biden on“ the issue of refugees and assistance to migrants. ”
Reference was also made to“ the protection ection of human rights, including the right to freedom of religion and conscience and reviewed “some issues related to international news, in the context of the next G 20 in Rome ”, and on achieving world peace“ through political negotiation ”
Biden appreciates the memory of prisoners in Cuba and Venezuela
According to a statement from the White House, President Biden thanked Francisco “for his defense of the world’s poor and those who suffer from hunger, conflict and persecution” , as well as “praised the leadership of the Pope in the fight against the climate crisis, as well as his defense to guarantee that the pandemic ends for all through the exchange of vaccines and a fair global economic recovery ”.
While thanked Parolin, “the active leadership of the Vatican in the fight against the climate crisis , both through promoting and encouraging climate neutrality of hundreds of Christian organizations around the world. ”
They also addressed efforts to gather global support to vaccinate against covi d in developing countries and “thanked the Vatican for speaking on behalf of those unjustly detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba, as well as pledging to continue using their voices to defend personal and religious freedoms throughout the world. ”
Biden to the Pope: “You are the greatest fighter for peace I have ever known”
From the The US delegation included the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken; White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and First Lady Jill Biden, who wore a dark blue suit with a mantilla.
During the hearing, Biden told the pope : “You are the greatest fighter for peace I have ever known”, as heard in the video of the meeting.
There was a moment of shock when Biden handed the pope a coin with the US stamp on one side and the Delaware seal on the other, the state of which Beau Biden had been Governor, the eldest son of the president who died of cancer at 49 years. “My son would have wanted you to have this coin,” said Biden, jokingly adding: “Tradition says that if you don’t have it at our next meeting, you’ll have to pay for the drinks.”
During the traditional exchange of gifts, Pope Francis gave Biden a ceramic depicting a pilgrim, his writings and his message for the Day of Peace .
For his part, the US president gave the pope a hand-embroidered chasuble of 1930, of the Society of Jesus , and which belongs to the collection of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Washington, where Biden attends mass the Sundays. Biden arrived in Rome to participate in the meeting of leaders of the G 20 and He also met with the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and has scheduled meetings with the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi and the French President, Emanuelle Macron.
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