US President Biden awards Pope Francis Presidential medal of freedom with distinction

In the US, the outgoing US President, Joe Biden, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction to Pope Francis on a phone call yesterday. During their phone call, Biden and the Pope reportedly discussed efforts to foster peace and reduce suffering globally.

In a social media post, President Biden said, Pope Francis’s humility and grace are beyond words. In his citation for Pope, Biden lauded the religious



leader’s life of service to the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina and his lifetime of service to the poor. 

On the decision, the White House informed that it was the first time during his four years in office that Biden has been awarded the medal with distinction. A week ago, Biden had awarded the Medal of Freedom to 19 people across various fields.