EGN NEWS DESK
President Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction to Pope Francis on Saturday, granting one of many nation’s highest honors to a determine he known as “the People’s Pope.”
“Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are past phrases, and your love for all is unparalleled,” Mr. Biden wrote on X. “You are a light-weight of religion, hope, and love that shines brightly internationally.”
Mr. Biden honored the pontiff throughout a weekend during which he was scheduled to fulfill with the pope in individual on the Holy See. The president, nonetheless, canceled the three-day journey to Italy to coordinate the federal response to raging wildfires in Los Angeles, in accordance with a White House assertion.
Rather than the standard award ceremony, during which the president locations the award across the neck of the recipient, Mr. Biden posted on X a picture from the Oval Office during which a army aide introduced the medal. The White House introduced the consideration after Mr. Biden spoke to Pope Francis on Saturday and knowledgeable him of the award.
It was the primary time throughout Mr. Biden’s time period that he had awarded the medal “with distinction,” a extra prestigious model of the consideration. Mr. Biden obtained the popularity from President Barack Obama in 2017. Other recipients embody Pope John Paul II and Colin L. Powell.
Mr. Biden, a Catholic, has seen Pope Francis as an admired ally on the worldwide stage and turned to him as a sounding board, and the pope has lobbied for Mr. Biden to make use of his presidential energy throughout his closing weeks in workplace.
Last month, Pope Francis known as Mr. Biden and requested him to commute the sentences of these on federal loss of life row. Days later, Mr. Biden used his clemency energy to melt their sentences to life in jail with out the opportunity of parole, sparing their lives.
A quotation included within the White House announcement for the award mentioned that Pope Francis was “in contrast to any who got here earlier than.”
“His mission of serving the poor has by no means ceased,” the assertion learn. “A loving pastor, he joyfully solutions kids’s questions on God. A difficult teacher, he instructions us to battle for peace and defend the planet. A welcoming chief, he reaches out to totally different faiths.”
Mr. Biden awarded the consideration days after bestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 18 leaders of the political, monetary and superstar institution.
