Biden awards Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction : NPR

President Biden awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Pope Francis on Saturday.

The honor specifically came “with distinction,” becoming the first person to receive the added level of honor by Biden.

In a statement, the White House commended Pope Francis for his commitment to serving the poor, as well as advocating for peace and protecting the planet.

“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. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths. The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, Pope Francis is unlike any who came before,” the statement read.

It concluded: “Above all, he is the People’s Pope — a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world.”

Biden is the second Catholic president in U.S. history. But unlike John F. Kennedy, who was known for downplaying his faith, Biden has embraced it.

The president and the pope have had a good rapport for many years, stretching back to before Biden’s rise to the presidency. They met three times when Biden was vice president. During the transition, the two also spoke over the phone and Biden has regularly cited Pope Francis in his speeches.

Although the president worked to expand access to abortion while in office, putting him at odds with the Catholic Church, Biden and the pope often focused on the issues they agreed on, including addressing climate change and the threat posed by rising nationalism.

The president was scheduled to travel to the Vatican this weekend, but canceled the trip to monitor the wildfires in Southern California.

According to the White House, Biden and Pope Francis spoke over the phone on Saturday. They also discussed efforts to “advance peace around the world, including Pope Francis’ work to alleviate suffering for vulnerable communities,” the White House said.

Pope Francis is the third pope to receive the medal. Pope John XXIII was posthumously recognized by President Lyndon Johnson in 1963, and Pope John Paul II was honored by President George W. Bush in 2004.

Biden awarded the Medal of Freedom to 19 prominent figures last weekend, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Michael J. Fox, Denzel Washington, Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, conservationist Jane Goodall and William Sanford Nye, also known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy.”