Biden Honors Pope Francis with the Prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom

On Saturday, President Biden presented the nation’s most prestigious civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Pope Francis.

This award was given “with distinction,” making it the first time someone has received this additional level of recognition from Biden.

In a statement, the White House praised Pope Francis for his dedication to assisting the impoverished, alongside his advocacy for peace and environmental protection.

“As a compassionate pastor, he enthusiastically responds to children’s inquiries about God. As a demanding educator, he challenges us to strive for peace and safeguard the environment. As an inclusive leader, he engages with various faiths. The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, Pope Francis is unique among his predecessors,” the statement indicated.

It concluded: “Above all, he is the People’s Pope — a beacon of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly around the globe.”

Biden is the second Catholic president in the annals of U.S. history. However, in contrast to John F. Kennedy, who downplayed his religious beliefs, Biden has fully embraced them.

The president and the pope have shared a positive relationship for many years, dating back to prior Biden’s presidential tenure. They met on three occasions when Biden served as vice president. During the transition, the two communicated via phone, and Biden has frequently referenced Pope Francis in his addresses.

While the president has worked to broaden access to abortion during his administration, placing him at odds with the Catholic Church, Biden and the pope have often centered their attention on shared concerns, including tackling climate change and confronting the dangers of rising nationalism.

The president had planned to visit the Vatican this weekend but canceled that journey to oversee the wildfires in Southern California.

As per the White House, Biden and Pope Francis spoke on the phone on Saturday. They also deliberated over efforts to “promote peace globally, including Pope Francis’ initiatives to reduce suffering among vulnerable populations,” the White House mentioned.

Pope Francis is the third pope to be awarded the medal. Pope John XXIII received the award posthumously from President Lyndon Johnson in 1963, while Pope John Paul II was honored by President George W. Bush in 2004.

Last weekend, Biden conferred the Medal of Freedom to 19 distinguished individuals, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Michael J. Fox, Denzel Washington, Argentine soccer icon Lionel Messi, conservationist Jane Goodall, and William Sanford Nye, better known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”