Biden receives Communion at Mass in Rome
ROME — President Joe Biden received Communion at St. Patrick’s Church during Saturday Vigil Mass, a day after saying Pope Francis told him he should continue to partake in the sacrament, despite the opposition of some conservatives in the U.S. upset with his position on abortion.
The Bidens visited the English-speaking church that is the main place of worship for the American Catholic community in Rome and located near the U.S. Embassy.
The president stopped in between events at the Group of 20 world leaders’ summit taking place in the city this weekend.
While Biden regularly receives Communion in his home dioceses in Washington and Delaware, it was significant that he also received Communion in Rome. The pope technically is the bishop of Rome, and while he delegates that to his vicar, St. Patrick’s parish is technically in the pope’s archdiocese. As such, Biden received Communion in the pope’s archdiocese.
About 30 people were at the Mass, and security guards ringed the aisles. The Bidens sat in the last row that had been roped off as “reserved.”
Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Joe Ciccone and two concelebrating priests. In an interview after Mass, Ciccone said Biden’s abortion position and whether to administer Communion was not an issue for him or the parish.
“Communion is what brings us together in the Lord. None of us are pure and perfect. We struggle through life. We’re all saints and sinners,” Ciccone said.
“And when you’re a public figure you have to make certain decisions, especially in a democracy, on behalf of more than just your own personal feelings,” he added.