Today, President Joe Biden, who cancelled his trip to the Vatican in order to oversee the U.S. government’s response to the California wildfires spoke to His Holiness Pope Francis and named him a recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, “the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
While Pope Francis is the 57th person to earn a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Biden, it is the only time during his presidency that Biden has bestowed the medal with distinction, and it is only three times since 1994 that the Presidential Medal of Freedom has been awarded with distinction.
In a post on ‘X,’ President Biden, a practicing Catholic, said:
Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled. As the People’s Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.
As a young man, Jorge Bergoglio sought a career in science before faith led him to a life with the Jesuits. For decades, he served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths. The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, Pope Francis is unlike any who came before. Above all, he is the People’s Pope – a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.
