Biden awards pope Presidential Medal of Freedom: ‘Light of faith, hope, and love’

President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis with a Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction during a phone call on Saturday, according to the White House. It is the only Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction that Biden has awarded.

“Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled,” Biden posted on X. “As the People’s Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.”

During the call, Biden expressed his regret for having to cancel his visit to the Holy See. Biden and Francis also “discussed efforts to advance peace around the world, including Pope Francis’ work to alleviate suffering for vulnerable communities,” according to the White House.

The award is the highest civilian honor a president can award and is given 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,” according to the White House.

Francis’ commitment to “serving the poor” and his life with the Jesuits made him deserving of the medal, according to the citation of the award from the White House.

“A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet,” the citation added. “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.”

The award comes on the day that Biden was set to meet with the pope in Italy. The president canceled the trip to focus on the fatal wildfires in Los Angeles. The trip was incredibly personal for Biden, who is Catholic, and was set to be his last international trip while in office.