(CNN)The world's most powerful Catholics -- President Joe Biden and Pope Francis -- renewed their close relationship on Friday, holding a 90-minute meeting that was twice as long as the one the President held with Pope John Paul II in one of his first meetings with a pontiff.

The engagement between the two "was very warm when the delegation arrived in the room," an official said. "There was laughter and clear rapport between President Biden and the Pope."

"President Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world's poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution. He lauded Pope Francis' leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery," the White House said in a statement.

The President's vehicle pulled to a stop in an interior courtyard of the Vatican at noon local time, and both stepped out from their limo, which was bearing the flag of the Holy See.

They were greeted by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, head of Papal Household, and other Vatican officials.

As he went down a receiving line shaking hands, Biden repeatedly said it was "good to be back." At one point, he introduced himself by saying, "I'm Jill's husband."

Biden took part in an initial one-on-one meeting with Francis, which lasted 90 minutes, before participating in an expanded bilateral meeting with several members of the Biden administration as well as Francis and Vatican officials. The President and American officials are next participating in a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State.

Despite footage of the outdoor arrival, the visit has been clouded by severe restrictions on press coverage; independent journalists will not be allowed to see the two men meeting at all, and no live pictures of the Pope greeting Biden will be transmitted.

Biden was the 14th US president to meet with a pope at the Vatican. President Woodrow Wilson was the first to do so in 1919. A live broadcast of Biden's meeting with the Pope has been canceled by the Vatican over the objections of journalists.

A personal meeting

The meeting was heavy with symbolism for the nation's second Catholic President, who attends Mass almost every week, makes the sign of the cross during his speeches and displays a photo of Francis in the Oval Office alongside frames of his wife and grandchildren.

Typically, world leaders offer a gift to the pope at the Vatican during their visits and -- given Francis' humble approach to the papacy -- the gift is not likely to be extravagant.

Jesuit Father Thomas Reese, a columnist for the Religious News Service and a former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, told CNN that "the priority is to look for areas where they can work together with the leader who's visiting. And if there's problems with the country, to at least incrementally improve relations with them."

"It's a big difference whether you're meeting with Joe Biden or with the head of China," he added.

Biden's long history meeting with popes
Francis is the third pope Biden has met, following meetings with Pope John Paul II while Biden was in the Senate and Pope Benedict XVI during his time as vice president.

Biden met with John Paul II several times, first kicked off by a lengthy meeting at the Vatican in 1980 to discuss the impacts of the potential collapse of the Soviet bloc, when Biden said the pope had to wave away aides who knocked on the library door several times during the conversation. But the President appears to have forged an even more personal bond with Pope Francis.

Biden arrives at the meeting having already met Francis on several occasions, including when he attended Francis' installation in Rome in 2013 and when he traveled there again for the medical summit three years later.

Yet it was Francis' visit to Washington in 2015 that drove the two men together in new ways.

During his stop in Washington, Francis and Biden were briefly neighbors when the Pope overnighted at the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See, just across Massachusetts Avenue from the vice president's residence.

Biden accompanied Francis on many of his stops, including greeting him at the airport and sitting in the front row when he received an elaborate state welcome at the White House. Biden was sitting just behind Francis on the rostrum in the House chamber when the Pope delivered an address to Congress, he stood beside Francis during his speech to a crowd on the National Mall from the Speaker's balcony and he saw the Pope off in Philadelphia after the private meeting with his family.

Francis clearly left an impression on Biden during that visit.

In the year following the Pope's US appearances, Biden wrote in a short profile for Time Magazine's "Time 100" that his Holiness "captivated America" during the trip. And some five years later, as he was preparing to assume the presidency, he still recalled the private meeting in Philadelphia.

"I am a great admirer of His Holiness. I really am," Biden added.

The relationship between the two men, the White House has said, "is very personal."

Unlike his past meetings with Francis, Biden is now the president, elevating their talks to an official encounter between two heads of state. Still, it is unlikely Biden's deep Catholic faith will not inform and guide his audience.

The tone for this anticipated dynamic between two heads of state appears to have been set since Francis' call congratulating Biden on his presidential win last November.

At the time, the Biden-Harris transition team said in a statement that the "president-elect expressed his desire to work together on the basis of a shared belief in the dignity and equality of all humankind on issues such as caring for the marginalized and the poor, addressing the crisis of climate change, and welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees into our communities."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/10/29/politics/pope-francis-joe-biden-meeting/index.html

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World leaders

Say no to abortion

Pope should lecture Biden on the dangers of abortion and how it's a cold blooded murder of innocent.
after all they said he's a devoted catholic.

catholic can never accept abortion
it's against the scripture
it's against the holy spirit
it's against God and humanity
other churches may twist and turn it to suit their selfish desires but we Catholics can never support it because we're unique
they said we're not Christians because we don't subscribe to the rubbish they do today hiding under Christianity.
we focus more on salvation rather than prosperity preaching.
we are the only one and true church ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ himself passed from generations to generations.
throughout generations he never fail to bring up his priests that will be performing the sacrifice of holy mass from East down to the west.


proudly a catholic and apostolic till death
God bless the pope

Leaders that matter on the world stage.

I think the most respected world leaders are the Pope, the Queen of England and the US President. Everyone wants to meet and take pictures with them.

Followed by the Chinese President, Russian President, German Chancellor, French President, Japanese Emperor and UK Prime Minister.

More pictures..

More ..

This looks good @ lalasticlala

Congrats to them

Religion and politics always go hand in hand from time immemorial. They are both sons of same mother.

This is good. At least it's something different from the usual wahala of Nigeria politics Lalasticlala

Most boring president.
Bring back Donald

The first and second most individuals in d whole world. When these two cough,the whole world trembles in disarray .
Bigs up

kingthreat:
Most boring president.
Bring back Donald

Lol

Well, there is still the clown show the Biden administration has been entertaining us with.

Okay

AchalugoNwa:

other churches may twist and turn it to suit their selfish desires but we Catholics can never support it because we're unique
they said we're not Christians because we don't subscribe to the rubbish they do today hiding under Christianity.

Don’t you think bowing for a statue is worse

Nice one

God and satan doesn't exist





Know this and have peace of mind

Why is the pope coming down from the car.... Who is visiting who ..

Wht I don't understand is, are those biden convoys cargoed into italy or what

Techzeethx:

https://voanews.com/amp/president-joe-biden-meets-with-pope-francis-at-the-vatican/6290605.html

Joe biden meets with pope francis ( the paedophile or batty man)

AchalugoNwa:
Say no to abortion

Pope should lecture Biden on the dangers of abortion and how it's a cold blooded murder of innocent.
after all they said he's a devoted catholic.

catholic can never accept abortion
it's against the scripture
it's against the holy spirit
it's against God and humanity
other churches may twist and turn it to suit their selfish desires but we Catholics can never support it because we're unique
they said we're not Christians because we don't subscribe to the rubbish they do today hiding under Christianity.
we focus more on salvation rather than prosperity preaching.
we are the only one and true church ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ himself passed from generations to generations.
throughout generations he never fail to bring up his priests that will be performing the sacrifice of holy mass from East down to the west.


proudly a catholic and apostolic till death
God bless the pope

So because una no agree with abortion all of una done make heaven. Silence they say is golden

kingthreat:
Most boring president.
Bring back Donald

Trump the TOTO grabber

The religious leader with the highest number of followers in the world.

World most respected religious leader.
Peter on you shall I build my church.

Wow beautiful.. May the world know peace..

Abeg make dem ease blockade 4 venezuela. Those ppl b katolix.

AchalugoNwa:
Say no to abortion

Pope should lecture Biden on the dangers of abortion and how it's a cold blooded murder of innocent.
after all they said he's a devoted catholic.

catholic can never accept abortion
it's against the scripture
it's against the holy spirit
it's against God and humanity
other churches may twist and turn it to suit their selfish desires but we Catholics can never support it because we're unique
they said we're not Christians because we don't subscribe to the rubbish they do today hiding under Christianity.
we focus more on salvation rather than prosperity preaching.
we are the only one and true church ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ himself passed from generations to generations.
throughout generations he never fail to bring up his priests that will be performing the sacrifice of holy mass from East down to the west.


proudly a catholic and apostolic till death
God bless the pope

Just like the Catholics banned use of contraceptives and condom during sexual intercourse. Set of blind bats!!!

Let's go Brandon

Sleekfingers:




Trump the TOTO grabber