President Joe Biden had a private meeting with Pope Francis on Friday during the G7 summit in southern Italy. The meeting was significant for Biden, who has often spoken about the importance of his Catholic faith.
According to a senior administration official, the two men were likely to discuss the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and climate change.
Pope Francis made history by being the first pontiff to attend a G7 gathering. He also met with world leaders to discuss finding an ethical framework for the development and use of AI.
Biden, a lifelong practicing Catholic, previously met with the pope in 2021. Despite controversy over his stance on abortion, the pope assured Biden that he was a good Catholic and should continue receiving communion rites.
During their meeting, Biden presented the pope with a memento that held personal significance: a coin from the Delaware National Guard unit where his late son Beau served as a captain.
Friday marked the fifth meeting between Biden and Pope Francis. The pope also met with other world leaders during his visit to southern Italy, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
