President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet privately with Pope Francis on Friday during the G7 summit in southern Italy. This meeting holds personal significance for President Biden, who has often spoken about the importance of his Catholic faith. The two leaders are expected to discuss pressing global issues such as the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and climate change.
Pope Francis is making history by being the first pontiff to attend a G7 gathering. During the summit, he will engage with world leaders on various topics, including the development and ethical use of artificial intelligence. Notably, the pope's image was manipulated in deepfake videos last year, underscoring the importance of addressing digital misinformation.
President Biden, a devout Catholic, has met with Pope Francis on multiple occasions. Their last meeting took place in 2021 during the president's visit to Italy, where they discussed personal matters. Biden described the encounter as 'wonderful' and expressed admiration for the pontiff.
This upcoming meeting will mark the fifth time President Biden has met with Pope Francis. The pope previously visited the United States in 2015, shortly after the death of Biden's son Beau, and held a private meeting with the president and his extended family in Pennsylvania.
Aside from his meeting with President Biden, Pope Francis is also expected to hold separate discussions with other world leaders attending the G7 summit. Among them are Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At 87 years old, Pope Francis continues to play a pivotal role in global diplomacy and advocacy for social justice.
