Biden hails pope as a ‘warrior of peace’
The Hindu
President and pontiff discuss climate change, pandemic and the issue of refugees
U.S. President Joe Biden, only the second Catholic to hold his office, had a private audience with Pope Francis on Friday at the start of a European trip aimed at reasserting U.S. international credentials.
The President hailed the pontiff as “the most significant warrior of peace I have ever met”, in a meeting at the Vatican.
It was closed to the media but footage released by the Vatican showed a good-humoured gathering full of smiles, with Mr. Biden at points visibly moved, and elsewhere telling the pope “God love ya”. He gave the pontiff a presidential coin recalling the regiment in which his son Beau Biden, who died from cancer in 2015, had served, saying: “I know my son would want me to give this to you.”
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