Joe Biden took communion when he attended mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Rome on Saturday night, the day after the president said Pope Francis told him he could continue to take the Holy sacrament.
Jill Biden, first lady, was with him to the religious service.
The English-speaking church, located near the U.S Embassy, is the main place for worship for the American Catholic Community in Rome. Speaker Nancy Pelosi attended mass at the church earlier in the month while she was in Rome to meet with legislative leaders from G20 countries.
Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, stopped by the church following his first day of meetings at G20 summit. Biden and his first lady are expected to attend a gala for the leaders from the world’s largest economies on Friday evening.
Biden receives Communion regularly in his home dioceses of Washington and Delaware. However, it was significant that he also received Communion at Rome. The pope technically has the role of bishop of Rome. However, he delegated this to his vicar. St. Patrick’s church is technically within the archdiocese. As such, Biden received Communion at the archdiocese of the pope.
Around 30 people attended the Mass. Security guards surrounded the aisles. The Bidens were seated in the row that had been reserved for them.
The Rev. celebrated Mass. Joe Ciccone and the two concelebrating priests were present. Biden waved at two women in the rows ahead of him as he arrived, Jill by his side. There was no special announcement at the beginning of Mass.
The president placed U.S. currency into the collection basket.
Before the collection was taken, a layman said that the parish welcomes all visitors and that no funding is received from the archdiocese or the Vatican.
The president is a committed Catholic and regularly attends Mass in Washington, Delaware, or near his Wilmington home. He has rosary beads that belonged his deceased son Beau. He also keeps a photo of himself with the Pope behind his desk at the Oval Office in first row next to photos of his family.
President Biden and Pope Francis were accompanied by translators at a private meeting at Vatican on Friday
The Bidens attended mass in St. Patrick’s English-speaking church, which is the main place of worship for American Catholics in Rome.
The Church of Saint Patrick, Villa Ludovisi, was one of the national churches of Rome of Ireland from the time it became the national Church of the United States of America in 2017. It is also known as St. Patrick’s Catholic American Parish of Rome
President Joe Biden, Jill Bide, first lady, and Pope Francis during their private meeting at Holy See. The Vatican released photos of the meeting after it was over
President Biden, first Lady Jill Biden and Pope Francis with the American-papal delegations
Biden presented Pope Francis a handwoven Chasuble from Holy Trinity Church, DC, which he had purchased in 1930, during their meeting. The accompanying note states that the White House will also donate winter clothing to charities in honor of World Day for the Poor.
President Joe Biden is a committed Catholic and keeps a photo of Pope Francis and himself on his desk in Oval Office. It can be seen to the left of him
Biden disclosed on Friday that Pope Francis had told him he was a ‘good Catholic” and that they did not discuss abortion during their 75-minute meeting behind closed doors at the Vatican.
He also stated that the pope instructed him to continue receiving communion.
After the meeting, Biden stated that he had just discussed the fact that he was happy to see me as a good Catholic. He also suggested that I should continue to receive communion.
Biden met the pontiff during pressure from conservative Catholics within the United States regarding his abortion stance.
The U.S. Conference of Bishops will decide whether to warn Catholic politicians like Pelosi and Biden, who support a woman’s right to abortion – which Catholics consider sinful – but also receive Holy Communion at mass.
Biden stated that he didn’t take communion on Friday. When asked if he and Pope Francis had discussed the U.S. Conference of Bishops the president replied that it was a private conversation.
He also stated that he and his pontiff had exchanged prayers. He also said that he prayed for peace.
And he revealed Pope Francis blessed his son Beau’s rosary beads that he wears around his wrist. Beau Biden was killed by brain cancer in 2015.
He stated that they talked about climate change, including the ‘need’ and ‘moral responsibility’ to deal with it during their meeting.
Biden’s Friday time with the pope was longer than any of his predecessors with the pontiff.
Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, was supposed to spend an hour with the Pontiff, but was granted extra time. In 2017, Francis met then President Donald Trump for 30 minutes and, in 2014, Francis met with then President Barack Obama for 52 minutes. Biden’s 1980 meeting at the Vatican with Pope John Paul lasted only 45 minutes.
Biden stated that the meeting was “wonderful” and spoke afterwards to reporters.
During their meeting, Biden presented Francis a woven chasuble, or liturgical vestment, made in 1930 by the famed papal tailor Gamarelli and used by the pope’s Jesuit order in the U.S., where it was held in the archives of Holy Trinity Church, Biden’s regular parish in Washington. John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic U.S. President. He also worshipped at Holy Trinity.
Biden stated, “I hope you find the United States gift appropriate.”
Biden also presented a presidential challenge coin to the pope.
“I’m not sure if this is appropriate but there’s an American tradition. The president explained that the president carries what is called a command currency.
Biden stated that it was intended for leaders and warriors.
Biden said to the pope, “And you are the greatest warrior for peace that I’ve ever met,”
The president stated that the U.S. seal was on the front, but not the back.
“But I know my boy would want me to hand this to him because on it I have Delaware and 261st, the unit that my son served in,” he stated, referring to Beau Biden, his service in Iraq as a Delaware Army National Guard soldier.
Biden said, “The tradition is, and this is just a joke about this, that the next time you see me you don’t have it you have to purchase the drinks.” The president said, “I’m the only Irishman that you’ve ever met who has never had a drink.”
Biden heard the pope speak back in Italian to him, but he made a joke about whiskey.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis, 84, gave Biden, 78, a ceramic tile depicting the iconography of the pilgrim, as well as a collection of the pope´s main teaching documents, the Vatican said.
It was the fourth time the two men have met.
Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron (Prime Minister), Angela Merkel, German Chancellor and Joe Biden (U.S. President) ahead of their meeting about Iran
President Joe Biden (far right) poses with G20 leaders in Rome Italy, ahead of the two-day summit. This marks the first time the leaders have met in person in two years.
Biden’s sitdown with Pope Francis came as his administration is fighting Texas’ abortion law, the most restrictive law in the nation, which bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected and that is normally after six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is meeting in Baltimore in November to discuss whether Catholic politicians supporting abortion rights should be warned about receiving Communion.
Meanwhile, Biden’s administration touted a win on the first day of G20 on Saturday when his fellow world leaders endorsed his plan for a global minimum tax.
After taking a group photo, the leaders of the top economies in the world backed Biden’s plan, and then Biden sat down to discuss Iran with Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron, and Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister.
After the meeting, a senior administration official stated that “all the leaders came out to support a global minimal tax.” During his speech, the president stressed the importance of this historic agreement. The president also stated that although we may not agree on every issue, we can work together to achieve common interests.
The new global tax of 15% is intended to reverse decades-long declines in corporate tax rates. The tax was pushed for by the administration, led Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Although the plan was already approved by the finance ministers in each country, it was officially endorsed on Saturday by leaders.