Washington D.C., Oct 14, 2021 / 09:02 am
The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden and his wife Jill will meet with Pope Francis on Oct. 29 at the Vatican.
According to a Thursday statement by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, the Bidens will discuss several issues with the pope, including “ending the COVID-19 pandemic, tackling the climate crisis, and caring for the poor.”
The Oct. 29 event would mark the first meeting with the pope during Biden’s presidency. Biden, a Catholic, previously met with Pope Francis in 2016 as vice president. He spoke on the phone with Pope Francis on Nov. 12, 2020, where the pope congratulated him on his election as president.
Pope Francis has met with other top U.S. officials in-person this year. He met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also a Catholic, on Oct. 9 at the Vatican during Pelosi’s international travels. According to the Speaker’s office, that discussion focused mostly on climate change.