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Updated October 29th, 2021 at 22:59 IST

Rome: Joe Biden & wife Jill arrive at Vatican with 85-car motorcade to meet Pope Francis

United States President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden used an 85-car motorcade to go for the meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, on Friday, October 29.

Reported by: Apoorva Kaul
Joe Biden
Image: AP | Image:self
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United States President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden used an 85-car motorcade on Friday to go for the meeting with Pope Francis in Rome. Joe Biden and Jill Biden used extra cars as Italy's lockdown rules only permit three non-cohabiting people including the driver to be present in a vehicle, as per The Daily Mail. Furthermore, they are required to wear a mask in the car as per the Italian COVID rules. The US President car, known as The Beast, parked in the Vatican premises at noon for his meeting with the Pope.

Joe Biden uses 85-car motorcade

Biden reached on time to meet Pope Francis and the leaders spoke for 75 minutes. The meeting between them was scheduled for an hour, however, they ran overtime in the discussion. The president also met senior Vatican officials for an expanded bilateral meeting. The United States President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden used an 85-car motorcade to head to the Vatican as the COVID-19 restrictions in Italy allow only four people in a vehicle, reported The Daily Mail.

During the meeting, the US President and Pope Francis sat across a desk in the papal library along with a translator. They gave each other gifts and held a meeting together which included first lady Jill Biden and top officials. Biden thanked Pope Francis for his efforts for the world's poor and the people suffering from "hunger, conflict and persecution," said the White House. Furthermore, "He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery," the White House said in a statement.

During the meeting, President Biden and Pope Francis had discussions on climate change, poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic. They also talked about the loss of the President’s son, and joked about ageing well, according to AP. United States President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden on Friday landed at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome to attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit that is to take place on October 30 and 31. President Biden will then embark to attend the much-awaited United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow scheduled to be held from October 31 to November 12, 2021. Biden also met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

(With Inputs from AP)

Image: AP

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Published October 29th, 2021 at 23:02 IST

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