Chicago – January 12, 2025
President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., the White House announced on Saturday. This is the only time Biden has presented this prestigious award during his presidency.
Biden, who is the second Catholic president of the United States, called Pope Francis to give him the medal. The two leaders had originally planned to meet in Rome next week during Biden’s last international trip, but the visit was canceled due to the wildfires in Los Angeles.
In their phone conversation, Biden expressed his regret about not being able to travel to Rome and Vatican City.
The White House said they also discussed global peace efforts, including Pope Francis’ work to help vulnerable communities.
The citation for the award highlighted that Pope Francis, the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere and from Argentina, is known as the “People’s Pope.” The award praised him as “a light of faith, hope, and love” and said he has had a significant impact worldwide.
