Obama Names Pope ‘Emperor of Peace’

The White House has been known to open its doors to a variety of people: a woman expelled from a Catholic school for being a lesbian, the founder of an organization defending the acceptance of homosexuals and transsexuals by the Catholic Church, and America’s first openly gay bishop. This, then, could perhaps be interpreted as a subtle point of conflict between Obama and Pope Francis.

And yet, during their first meeting on U.S. soil, with the exception of the brief encounter at Andrews Air Force Base, the pair seemed entirely in tune in front of a crowd of approximately 14,000 guests gathered in the gardens of the White House. Such attendance levels have never before been recorded in the 200-year history of the White House.

Obama and Pope Francis, it seemed, were in total agreement over matters concerning social justice, human rights and respect for religious minorities, environmental issues and international politics. Before departing for the White House, Pope Francis chose to break U.S. protocol to honor a religious tradition, individually greeting those gathered at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington. The pope embraced them, asked that they pray for him, and thanked them for waiting, some since 3 a.m., when significant stretches of Massachusetts Avenue had been closed to traffic.

Social Initiatives

Less than an hour later, Obama greeted Pope Francis at his official residence, commending the social initiatives backed by the church and the pope’s own “qualities as a person.” “You remind us that the Lord’s most powerful message is mercy,” Obama said, recalling the pope’s compassion “for the marginalized and the outcast, to those who have suffered and seek redemption.” The president went on to name Pope Francis “the emperor of peace.”*

Obama turned the discussion toward politics, thanking the pope for his support of recent progress in Cuba-U.S. relations, his defense of religious freedom — with indirect reference to the persecution of Christians by Islamic fundamentalists — his support of immigrants, and his defense of the environment. These are all central areas in Obama’s current policy.

Pope Francis was quick to respond in his usual fashion. As if to emphasize Obama’s praise of his humility, which, according to the president is symbolic of the message of Christ, the pope insisted he had come to the U.S. to listen. Demonstrating his impeccable English, the pope gave a brief speech, speaking softly and with a slight Argentine accent, which sometimes proved difficult to understand.

But his message was clear, and not once did he shy away from issues central to his papacy. “We are living at a critical moment of history,” he declared, supporting Washington’s concerns over climate change and re-affirming an attitude many Republicans reject. “Mr. President, I find it promising that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution,” said the pope.

Cooperation

“Humanity has the ability to work together,” the pope insisted. Celebrating “the efforts which were recently made to mend broken relationships and to open new doors to cooperation within our human family,” he indirectly praised the shift in U.S.-Cuba relations. The pope also explicitly asked for the support of the U.S. and the international community “to protect the vulnerable in our world,” and made reference to those “living under a system which has overlooked them.”

Pope Francis closed his speech by quoting the most influential religious-political figure in the U.S. over the past century. Making direct reference to the leader of the African-American civil rights movement, Pope Francis concluded: “To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note, and now is the time to honor it.”

*Editor’s note: The quoted phrase “emperor of peace,” although accurately translated, could not be independently verified. The verified remark by the president was as follows: “You remind us of the costs of war, particularly on the powerless and defenseless, and urge us toward the imperative of peace.”