VATICAN (CNS): Pope Francis and Joe Biden, the president of the United States had an unusually long meeting at the Vatican on October 29, talking about the climate crisis and poverty, among other issues.
The Vatican described the US president’s meetings with both the pope and with top Vatican diplomats as consisting of “cordial discussions,” with both sides “focused on the joint commitment to the protection and care of the planet, the health care situation and the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.”
They also discussed “refugees and assistance to migrants,” the Vatican said, and “reference was also made to the protection of human rights, including freedom of religion and conscience.”
Pope Francis and Biden also exchanged “views on some matters regarding the current international situation, also in the context of the imminent G20 summit in Rome and on the promotion of peace in the world through political negotiation,” it said.
According to a statement released by the White House, “President Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict and persecution. He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.”
During a nearly 90-minute meeting in the library of the Apostolic Palace, which included 75 minutes of closed-door discussions between the two leaders, Pope Francis gave Biden a large painted ceramic tile of a pilgrim walking along Rome’s Tiber River and pointing to St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance. It and its border of shell designs symbolise “protection from adversity” during one’s spiritual growth and the hope of reaching a deeper and more fulfilling purpose at the end of this spiritual journey, according to an explanation of the artistic piece.
Pope Francis also gave the president a signed copy of his message for World Day of Peace 2021, a collection of his major documents, including his document on human fraternity, and the book, Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith? The World Facing the Pandemic. The book contains photographs and homilies, messages and prayers the pope delivered during the pandemic, emphasising the importance of love, hope, solidarity and the common good.
The White House said in a statement that the discussions included ‘efforts to rally global support for vaccinating the developing world against Covid-19’ and Biden thanking the Vatican for its ‘leadership in fighting the climate crisis” and for “speaking out on behalf of the wrongfully detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba’
Biden presented Pope Francis with a framed, handwoven fiddleback chasuble that had been made by Gamarellis, the famous Rome tailor shop, in 1930, for Jesuits in the United States. The White House also made a donation of winter clothing to charities in the name of Pope Francis to commemorate the World Day of the Poor on November 14.
The US president also gave the pope a copy of his memoir, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose, about losing his firstborn son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer at the age of 46 and a presidential command coin inscribed with the unit of his late son, who had been deployed to Iraq in 2008.
Explaining the reason for the coin to Pope Francis the president said, “I’m not sure this is appropriate, but there’s a tradition in America that the president has what is called a command coin that he gives to warriors and leaders and you are the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met,” adding, “And with your permission, I’d like to give you this coin. I know my son would want me to give this to you.”
Biden said, “The tradition—I’m only kidding about this—next time I see you, if you don’t have it, you have to buy the drinks,” adding, however, “I’m the only Irishman you’ve ever met who’s never had a drink.”
Later, as the pope walked Biden to the door, he thanked him for the visit and “for this,” he said, clutching the coin.
After meeting the pope, Biden met with Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister. In addition to his wife, Jill Biden, the president travelled with a 10-person entourage of senior White House staff, including US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and Jake Sullivan, his national security adviser.
The White House said in a statement that the discussions included “efforts to rally global support for vaccinating the developing world against Covid-19” and Biden thanking the Vatican for its “leadership in fighting the climate crisis” and for “speaking out on behalf of the wrongfully detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba.”
The White House said, “The leaders committed to continue using their voices to advocate for personal and religious freedoms worldwide.”
Biden spoke to reporters at Rome’s Palazzo Chigi where he was meeting Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi.
The private papal audience was Biden’s first presidential visit to the Vatican. Pope Francis had previously met Biden three times when he was vice president.
Biden is the 14th US president to have met a pope at the Vatican and the second Catholic president after John F. Kennedy, who met Pope Paul VI almost 60 years ago.
