Biden to Meet Pope During G20 Summit Schedule

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to have an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican during the G20 summit in Rome, Italy, at the end of this month.

According to the U.S. Catholic media outlet Catholic News Agency (CNA) on the 2nd (local time), President Biden will officially visit the Vatican on the 29th to meet the Pope. CNA reported that he will visit the Vatican before the opening of the G20 summit (scheduled for the 30th to 31st of this month). This will be Biden's first visit to the Vatican since his inauguration in January.

During his visit to the Vatican, meetings are also scheduled with key Vatican officials, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State and second in rank at the Holy See; Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and the Bishops' Conference; and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States, CNA reported. The U.S. government has reportedly stated that it has no official comments at this time.

President Biden is the second Catholic president in U.S. history, following John F. Kennedy. He is known to be devout, attending Sunday Mass regularly.

However, due to his support for abortion, which is prohibited by Catholic doctrine, voices from the conservative Catholic community in the U.S. have called for denying him the Eucharist, leading to somewhat strained relations between Biden and the Catholic Church in the U.S. Therefore, if the Pope and President Biden meet, it is expected that they will discuss global issues including climate change as well as their respective positions on abortion.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.