(CP) President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, recognising him as a recipient of the nation's highest civilian honour. The Biden administration announced the honour following a conversation between the president and the pontiff.
Biden "spoke with His Holiness Pope Francis and named him as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction", the White House said in a statement Saturday.
The distinction is part of "the Nation's highest civilian honour, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours".
Officials said this occasion marks Biden's first time awarding the medal with distinction.
The official citation for the honour reads, "As a young man, Jorge Bergoglio sought a career in science before faith led him to a life with the Jesuits. For decades, he served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased."
The citation describes him as "a loving pastor" who responds "joyfully" to children's questions about God and as "a challenging teacher" who "commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet".
The text also refers to him as "a welcoming leader" who "reaches out to different faiths", noting the significance of his position as "the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere".
"Above all, he is the People's Pope — a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world," the Biden administration statement concluded.
Although such recognition typically involves a White House ceremony, no immediate details were provided about any related event.
Biden's Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said last week that Biden wouldn't be travelling to Rome due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Jean-Pierre said that once the president returned from Los Angeles, he "made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead". However, she did not indicate whether the visit would be rescheduled before the end of Biden's presidential term on January 20, only adding that the White House would provide further information soon.
Biden had initially planned to travel to Italy on Thursday night and meet with Francis over the weekend.
Biden, the first Roman Catholic to serve as president of the United States since John F Kennedy, had earlier clashed with Catholic Church leadership in the US over his steadfast support of abortion.
In October 2021, Biden received communion at St Patrick's Church in Rome a day after he said Francis called him "a good Catholic" amid the debate at the time over whether pro-abortion Catholic politicians should be given the sacrament.
Supporters of denying communion to Biden and other pro-abortion Catholic politicians pointed to the Catholic Church's Code of Canon Law, which states that those "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion" as the justification for their position.
Francis has also faced numerous controversies, including pushback against his decision to promote transgenderism by inviting a group of trans-identified men to dine with him during a luncheon at the Vatican in 2023.
