President Biden will conclude his term with a historic international trip to meet Pope Francis, highlighting a key moment in his presidency.
The White House announced Thursday that President Biden will visit Pope Francis in January, marking what could be the final international trip of his presidency.
Biden will travel to Rome from January 9 to 12, where he is scheduled to meet with the Pope, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, according to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The president will have an audience with the Pope to discuss global peace efforts and will also engage with Italy’s leaders to reinforce the U.S.-Italy relationship, express gratitude to Prime Minister Meloni for her G7 leadership, and address pressing global challenges,” Jean-Pierre stated.
Before this trip, Biden attended the G20 summit in Brazil in November and visited Angola in December, fulfilling his pledge to visit Africa during his presidency.
The Vatican meeting will be Biden’s third official engagement with Pope Francis while in office. Earlier meetings included discussions in 2021 at the Holy See and in June during a G7 meeting in Italy, which also featured a personal conversation about global conflicts and an unplanned, heartfelt embrace.
The White House has emphasized Biden’s appreciation for the Pope’s advocacy for marginalized communities, environmental issues, and global peace. Despite criticism over Biden’s pro-abortion stance conflicting with Catholic teachings, the President has maintained that Pope Francis did not address the issue during their previous discussions, even permitting him to continue receiving communion.
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Source: nypost