Following the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the White House revealed Joe Biden was not invited to attend the funeral.
This is an unusual development, especially since world leaders are routinely invited to attend ceremonies following another world leader’s death.
Biden’s Press Secretary made the announcement after she was asked about Biden potentially attending. She said, “The U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, will represent the United States at the funeral of the Pope, in line with the wishes of the late Pope and the Vatican. This is what…this is what their requests were. This is what their wishes were.”
Joe Biden will not attend Pope Benedict XVI’s funeral, per request of the Vatican. pic.twitter.com/Q7VcYEhnei
— Kevin McMahon (@Kevin__McMahon) January 3, 2023
In place of Joe Biden, the US Ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, will attend the funeral and represent the United States.
Joe Biden, who is also the first catholic to hold the office since JFK, was asked by reporters as to why he wasn’t attending. Joe Biden responded, “Well, why do you think?” The reporter said, “You tell me.” Then, Biden said, “You know why.”
The rest of Biden’s comments cannot be understood.
“You’re not attending [Pope Benedict’s] funeral tomorrow… Why?”
BIDEN: “Well, why do you think?
“You tell me!”
BIDEN: “You know why.” pic.twitter.com/Wo521Msozh
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 4, 2023
In October of 2019, Biden was denied communion during a Catholic church service in South Carolina. Father Robert Morey of the Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Florence said Biden wasn’t able to take communion because “any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching.”
He then went on to say, I will keep Mr. Biden in my prayers.”
The White House has continued to describe Biden as a very ardent Catholic.
