Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away on Saturday, and President Joe Biden expressed his condolences in a statement. He said that the late pontiff “would be remembered as a famous theologian, with a lifetime of commitment to the Church, led by his ideals and faith.”
According to a Vatican statement, Benedict passed away on Saturday at the age of 95 in a monastery within the Vatican. In 2013, Francis became the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign from office rather than continue in that role for life.
In his reflection on his encounter with Benedict at the Vatican in 2011, Biden—the second Catholic to hold the office of president of the United States—remembered the late pope’s “generosity and welcome as well as our deep talk.”
“The need for global solidarity is as vital as ever if all people are to live in a way that is worthy of their dignity, he said during his 2008 visit to the White House. May his dedication to the ministry of compassion serve as an example to us all, said Biden on Saturday.
The Vatican announced that Benedict’s burial will take place on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. local time at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. Pope Francis will preside over the funeral.
Conservatives praised Benedict for his academic writings and careful theology, making him a divisive figure.
When George W. Bush visited the Vatican in 2007, Benedict had his first meeting with a sitting president. The next year, Benedict paid his one and only papal visit to America. When Benedict’s jet touched down outside the White House, hundreds of people sang “Happy Birthday” to the pope, who turned 81 that day. Bush took the unusual step of personally greeting Benedict when he arrived at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington, DC.
Later that year, Bush paid Benedict a visit at the Vatican, where they strolled through the Vatican Gardens before having a 30-minute private meeting.
President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict had a 30-minute meeting there in 2009. According to officials at the time, the summit covered topics such as stem cell research and abortion as well as challenges like the Middle East and poverty.
Additionally, it appeared like Benedict and Biden discussed abortion during their encounter. Biden claimed in a 2015 interview with America that the two men discussed Catholic teaching and the then-vice president’s position that he shouldn’t force his own beliefs on others, even those pertaining to topics like abortion.
Benedict discussed Biden’s position on abortion when he was elected president in 2021.
He is a practicing Catholic, it is true. And he personally opposes abortion,” Benedict stated in an interview with the Catholic journal The Tablet. But as president, he often presents himself as continuing the Democratic Party’s legacy. We still don’t fully comprehend his position on gender policy.
At a White House event last summer, Biden again mentioned Benedict and referred to him as a “brilliant theologian, a very conservative theologian.” The president revealed that when they first met, Benedict had requested his opinion.
“Well, if I had any advice, I would be kind to the nuns,’ I remarked. They are more well-liked than you are. Biden recalled as people laughed.
