Francis has previously acknowledged the criticism directed at him from some U.S. conservatives, once quipping that it was an “honor” to be attacked by Americans.
Keeping channels for dialogue open with the Kremlin, Pope Francis has bucked the Western world's refusal to take a mediated approach to ending the Ukraine war.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Biden would meet with Zuppi on Tuesday to “discuss the widespread suffering caused by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine."
The document addresses inclusivity toward LGBTQ+ faithful, the issue of female ordination, and welcoming toward divorced, remarried, or polygamous couples.
In welcoming Tawadros, the Coptic Orthodox patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt, Francis recalled that Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the first meeting between a Catholic and Coptic Orthodox pope.