March 27, 2014: Pope Francis received the President of the United States, Barack
Obama on Thursday morning in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.
President
Obama arrived at the meeting through the Hall of St. Ambrose - a bright, high-ceilinged
rectangular room decorated with allegories of Felicity, Prudence and the Virtues,
Rest and Security. He was preceded by a column of the Gentlemen of His Holiness, and
accompanied by the Prefect of the Papal Household, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, who
walked at his side. Pope Francis made his way briskly from the library to the Sala
dei troni – the Hall of Thrones - to greet the President.
A handshake and a
brief exchange of pleasantries, and the Pope and the President were in the library
of the Apostolic Palace, sitting across from one another at the Holy Father’s desk.
“It’s a great honor,” said the President to the Pope, “I’m a great admirer – thank
you so much for receiving me.” President Obama went on to say, “[I bring] greetings
from my family,” adding, “the last time I came to meet your predecessor I was able
to bring my wife and children.”
Then, the room was cleared of journalists,
and the Pope and the President, assisted by their interpreters – Msgr. Mark Miles
of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, and Alessandra Bonatti of the US State Dept.
– spoke privately for nearly an hour: fifty-two minutes, to be precise.
The
private meeting concluded and the members of the official White House delegation were
presented to Pope Francis, among whom were the Secretary of State, John Kerry, US
Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, National Security Adviser Susan Rice,
and White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. After the Holy Father greeted the delegation
members, the Pope and the President exchanged gifts.
Obama offered his first:
a seed box, encased in American leather, and built of wood recovered from the National
Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the first cathedral constructed
in the United States, the cornerstone of which was laid by John Carroll – a Jesuit
priest and the first Catholic bishop and Archbishop in the United States; given in
honor of the opening of the Pontifical Gardens of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo
to the public, the box contained seeds from fruits and vegetables of the White House
garden, and represent a gift of seeds to be made in the name of the Holy Father to
charity, the yield of which is hoped to be several tons of fresh produce. “This gift,”
reads an official statement from the White House, “honors the commitment of Your Holiness
to sow the seeds of global peace for future generations.”
President Obama presented
the gift, saying, “If you have a chance and come to the White House, you can see our
garden.” Smiling, Pope Francis replied in Spanish, “Como no? [Why not?]”
The
Holy Father then gave the President two medals cast in bronze: one a work of Italian
artist Guido Veroi, called The Medallion with the Angel – Solidarity and Peace – which
illustrates the contemporary challenges of bringing together the world’s northern
and southern regions, and harmonizing them while combating all disruptive forces,
such as exploitation, intransigent opposition, new forms of colonization, indifference,
mistrust and prejudice; the second, a cast of a medal, the original of which was buried
beneath the cornerstone of the north colonnade of St. Peter’s Basilica by Pope Alexander
VII.
“I will treasure that,” said the President to the Pope, upon receiving
the gift.
Pope Francis also gave the President a copy of his recent Apostolic
Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, on the joy of the Gospel. “You know,” said President
Obama, “I will actually probably read this when I am in the Oval Office and when I
am deeply frustrated,” adding, “I am sure it will give me strength and calm me down.”
Speaking in English, Pope Francis replied, “I hope.”
Between the end of the
private meeting and the presentation of the US delegation, the number of people in
the Library had grown significantly – and there was a flurry of hand-shaking and picture
taking. The Papal attendants did not miss a beat, however, conducting the guests smoothly
and courteously to the door. “Tell His Holiness,” said the President to the Pope’s
translator, Msgr. Miles, “I think His Holiness is the only person who has to put up
with more protocol than me.”
On their leave-taking, at the door to the Library,
President Obama thanked the Holy Father in Spanish. “Muchas gracias,” said the President
to the Pope. Obama went on to say, “Please pray for me and my family,” adding, “they
are with me on this journey – pray for them.”