Biden's visit to the Vatican will be only the second time in history that a sitting U.S. president who is Catholic has met with the pope. But the centuries-old Vatican diplomatic corps has such VIP meetings "down to a science."
Even if Pope Francis and U.S. President Donald Trump have strong differences on the issue of migration, there are many other areas of common agreement where their joint efforts promote peace and human dignity, said the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
Critics of an agreement signed between the Vatican and the Chinese government must be patient and not quick to judge a deal that is meant to protect religious freedom, the Vatican secretary of state said.
Commentary: The Irish nun, head of Loreto Schools in Rumbek, received the State Department international award for her courage, inner strength and fierce dedication to female empowerment.
Rome: A Pakistani archbishop has warned about the "gradual erosion" of religious freedom in his country, saying the nation's caretaker government has not been able to control vigilantism undertaken by religious extremists.
From the Rome-centric version of your weekly international edition of the daily briefing: Longest-serving Vatican ambassador to the U.N. at Geneva chronicles developments in the church's social teaching; Pax Christi will give its annual peace award in Rome for the first time; and the pope is set to speak to astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
Morning Briefing: Contraceptive mandate; Senate confirms Callista Gingrich; Values Voter Summit; A 'habited hipster'; Francis invited prisoners to lunch and they escape
