President Joe Biden changed his travel plans to Rome to award Pope Francis the Medal of Freedom due to the California wildfires, but the two still spoke on Saturday.

President Joe Biden has honored Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction. It's the highest civilian award given by the president.

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Today, President Biden spoke with His Holiness Pope Francis and named him as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction. For decades, Pope Francis served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As a loving pastor, he joyfully answers children's… pic.twitter.com/qOP61r6BjE

Joe Biden has awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom and praised him as the “People’s Pope...

Pope Francis is receiving the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the country's highest civilian honor, the White House confirmed Saturday.

President Joe Biden has awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the first time in his term the president has bestowed that honor, the White House announced on Saturday.

Biden, the nation's second Catholic president, spoke with the pontiff to name him a recipient of the award, the White House said.

The pontiff has been celebrated for "his mission of serving the poor" and as a "welcoming leader" who "reaches out to different faiths".

President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, on Saturday from the White House after he missed a scheduled trip to the Vatican in order to monitor the wildfires that have been raging across Southern California.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Pope Francis on Saturday and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the nation's highest civilian honor, the White House said.

President Joe Biden has awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction. It’s the highest civilian honor given by the president.