Biden sending US ambassador to the Holy See to Benedict XVI’s funeral
Christian Datoc
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly will attend Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s funeral on behalf of the United States on Thursday.
The former pope, who stepped down from the papacy in 2013, died over the weekend at the age of 95, and his body has been lying in state at the Vatican since Monday. Pope Francis will preside over funeral services on Thursday.
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“The U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly will represent the United States at the funeral of the pope, in line with the wishes of the late Pope in the Vatican,” Jean-Pierre said when asked about the U.S. delegation during Tuesday’s White House briefing. “This is what their requests were, this was what their wishes were, and so that’s what you’re seeing from the U.S.”
Jean-Pierre also fielded a question about what Benedict meant to President Joe Biden “as a Catholic,” and she briefly detailed the pair’s unanticipated meeting back when Biden was vice president.
“The president, as you know, he takes his faith very seriously. This is someone who is passionate about his faith. It’s not something I even need to tell you. You know this for yourself,” Jean-Pierre said. “He remembers the pope’s generosity and his meaningful conversation they had when the president visited the Vatican back in 2011. So, that’s something that the president remembers and holds very close. Close to heart.”
Benedict “will be remembered as a renowned theologian, with a lifetime of devotion to the Church, guided by his principles and faith,” Biden said in a statement over the weekend, adding his desire that Benedict’s “focus on the ministry of charity continue to be an inspiration to us all.”
Biden is the second Catholic to serve as president.
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You can watch Tuesday’s briefing in full below.
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