Biden honors Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Biden bestowed the award to the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.

President Joe Biden, left, meets with Pope Francis in Savelletri, Puglia, Italy, June 14, 2024. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Zeke Miller

January 13, 2025 at 9:49 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday honored Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the highest civilian award given by the president, saying the pontiff was “a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.”

Biden had been scheduled to present the medal to the pope in person on Saturday in Rome on what was to be the final overseas trip of his presidency, but Biden canceled his travel plans so he could monitor the wildfires in California.

The White House said Biden bestowed the award to the pope during a phone call in which they also discussed efforts to promote peace and alleviate suffering around the world.

It’s the only time Biden has presented the honor with distinction during his presidency. Biden himself is a recipient of the award with distinction, recognized when he was vice president by then-President Barack Obama in a surprise ceremony eight years ago. That was the only time in Obama’s two terms when he awarded that version of the medal.

The citation for the pope says “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.”

Biden is preparing to leave office Jan. 20 and has doled out honors to prominent individuals, including supporters and allies, in recent weeks.

No paywalls here. Thanks to you.

As an independent nonprofit, RNS believes everyone should have access to coverage of religion that is fair, thoughtful and inclusive. That's why you will never hit a paywall on our site; you can read all the stories and columns you want, free of charge (and we hope you read a lot of them!)

But, of course, producing this journalism carries a high cost, to support the reporters, editors, columnists, and the behind-the-scenes staff that keep this site up and running. That's why we ask that if you can, you consider becoming one of our donors. Any amount helps, and because we're a nonprofit, all of it goes to support our mission: To produce thoughtful, factual coverage of religion that helps you better understand the world. Thank you for reading and supporting RNS.

Deborah Caldwell, CEO and Publisher

Donate today

1	news As polyamory gains visibility, monogamy faces a vote in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
2	news Willy Rice, Florida pastor and abuse crisis skeptic, elected SBC president
3	news Defense Department to drop atheists, pagans, 175 others from list of military faiths
4	news Defense Department rejiggers list of recognized religions after backlash, narrows it to 30
5	news Meet the pastors who support the ICE raids

	The State of Belief What Democracy and Religion Look Like Across America Paul Brandeis Raushenbush Find out how local Interfaith Alliance affiliates are on the front lines in the work of defending religious freedom and democracy with leaders from Iowa, Tennessee, and the national office in Washington, DC
	Money Meet Meaning To Preserve or to Repurpose? Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson Is it more faithful to preserve a dying congregation — or to repurpose its financial assets for new life?
	Complexified Philip Reed-Butler, Black AI and the future of healing Rev. Amanda Henderson (RNS) — A theologian and technologist is building Black AI for the inner life, where healing begins with imagination.