On January 11, 2025, US President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction.
Biden spoke with Pope Francis and named him as a recipient of the honor.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have contributed to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors.
This is the first time that President Biden has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction.
“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,” the citation said.
“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,” it reads.
“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.”
Biden was supposed to present the medal to the pope on January 11, 2025 in Rome, his last foreign trip as president, but he postponed it to observe the wildfires in California.
According to the White House, Biden gave the pope the honor over the phone, and they also discussed initiatives to advance global peace and lessen suffering.
It's the only time Biden has received the accolade with distinction during his presidency. In a surprise event eight years ago, then-President Barack Obama presented Biden with the honor while Biden was vice president. Obama only gave out that form of the medal once throughout his two terms in office.
Biden recently awarded various honors to notable people, including allies and supporters, as he gets ready to leave office on January 20, 2025.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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