‘You know why!’ Biden’s bizarre response when the reporter asked him to explain why he wasn’t going to Pope Benedict’s funeral – after the White House said the Vatican had told him not to attend
- President Joe Biden told a reporter Wednesday, “You know why,” when asked why he wouldn’t attend the funeral of the late Pope Benedict
- Biden explained that “it takes an entourage of 1,000 people, not literally,” for him to go anywhere
- When he visited Pope Francis in October 2021, his motorcade was 85 vehicles long
- Benedict, who died on Saturday at the age of 95 as pope emeritus after giving up the role of pope in 2013, said he wished for a “simple” funeral
President Joe Biden told a reporter Wednesday, “You know why,” when asked why he would not attend the funeral of the late Pope Benedict on Thursday.
“Well, why do you think? Tell me,” the president replied on the South Lawn when asked why the White House was sending an ambassador to the memorial and not him. “The reason I’m not attending the funeral tomorrow is because it takes an entourage of 1,000 people, not literally, but we’d be moving everything in the wrong direction,” Biden then replied.
Benedict, who died on Saturday at the age of 95 as pope emeritus after giving up the role of pope in 2013, said he wished for a “simple” funeral.
“The express request of the Pope Emeritus is that everything be easy, both in terms of the funeral and the other celebrations and gestures during this time of pain,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said, according to the Catholic News Agency.
President Joe Biden told a reporter Wednesday, “You know why,” when asked why he would not attend the funeral of the late Pope Benedict on Thursday
The body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. will be laid out in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday
The Vatican confirmed on Monday that only two state delegations, Germany and Italy, were invited to Thursday’s affair.
Pope Benedict XVI was born in Germany and lived in Italy for more than 40 years.
Biden said on Wednesday he “made inquiries” but other countries were sending their apostolic delegates, or ambassadors, based in Rome.
“We will,” he admitted.
At Tuesday’s press conference, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that US Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly will represent the United States.
“We would only get in each other’s way, but I have made my views known,” Biden continued. ‘Anyway, I think he was a fine man.’
When Biden traveled to Rome and Vatican City in October 2021 to meet with Pope Francis and G20 leaders, he traveled in a motorcade of 85 vehicles.
President Joe Biden (right) recalled his meeting with Pope Benedict (left) in 2011 in a statement Saturday expressing his condolences and Wednesday on the South Lawn
Masses are held around the world to commemorate Pope Emeritus Benedict. This captures a service taking place in Hong Kong on Wednesday
The length was partly due to COVID restrictions allowing fewer people to ride in each car.
Biden met with Pope Benedict in Vatican City for an unannounced visit in 2011 while he was serving as vice president.
At the time, the pope decided not to make an example of Biden – the country’s first Catholic vice president – for his support for abortion rights, which contradicts the teachings of the church.
Biden recalled their meeting in a statement sent out on Saturday.
“I had the privilege of spending time with Pope Benedict at the Vatican in 2011 and will always remember his generosity and welcome and our meaningful conversation,” he said at the time.
Biden is only the second Catholic President of the United States.
On the South Lawn, Biden recalled his visit to see Benedict, saying it reminded him to “go back to theology classes,” and said they talked about Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica.
“I found him relaxing, very rational, and he was more conservative in the Catholic realm than I was. I’m closer to the Pope, the current Pope, in terms of philosophy and his perspective,” Biden added. “But I admired him. I thought he was a fine man.’