Categories: Politics

Biden to visit Pope Francis and Meloni in final trip abroad

President Joe Biden will travel to Italy next month for his final international trip as president, meeting Pope Francis and Italian leaders.

Biden to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican

Biden accepted an invitation from Pope Francis during a call on Thursday. Their discussions will include advancing global peace and addressing human rights issues.

Meetings with Meloni and Mattarella scheduled

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – DECEMBER 24: Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (C) attends the Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican on December 24, 2024 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Holy Father officially opened the Holy Year with the rite of the Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter at 7pm on December 24. He will then preside over the celebration of Mass on the night of the Lord’s Birth inside the Basilica. (Photo by Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

During the Jan. 9-12 visit, Biden will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella to discuss Italy’s leadership during its G7 presidency.

Late-term travel by presidents is rare

Biden’s overseas trip comes late in his presidency, a rare occurrence. The last president to travel this late in office was George H.W. Bush in January 1993.

Previous meetings with Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – DECEMBER 24: (EDITOR NOTE: STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY – NO MERCHANDISING). Pope Francis officially inaugurates the 2025 Jubilee Year with the solemn opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on December 24, 2024 in Vatican City, Vatican. Since 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII issued the first Jubilee Bull, millions of pilgrims have journeyed to Rome. Their outward pilgrimage symbolised an inner desire for renewal, seeking to align their daily lives—despite challenges and struggles—with the hope of the Gospel. For the first time in the Jubilee tradition, Pope Francis will open a fifth sacred portal in a Roman prison on 26 December. (Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

Biden, a devout Catholic, has met Pope Francis multiple times. Their past talks included climate change, poverty, and the president’s personal grief over losing his son Beau.

Trip coincides with Vatican holy year events

The visit aligns with the Vatican’s holy year, which began on Christmas Eve. The event is expected to attract 32 million pilgrims to Rome by 2025.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.

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