Former President Joe Biden, Jill Biden to attend Pope Francis' funeral in Rome (2025)

WASHINGTON ― Former President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend the April 26 funeral for Pope Francis in Vatican City, a source familiar with the plans told USA TODAY.

Their attendance will mark the first time the Bidens have been together with President Donald Trump and his family since the Jan. 20 inauguration.

Biden, a devout Catholic, had been scheduled to travel to Rome to meet with Francis during the final days of his presidency, but the trip was canceled amid devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. It would have been Biden's final overseas trip as president.

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Biden met with Francis in 2024 while he was in Italy for the G7 summit. He also met the pontiff in 2021 when he was in Rome for the Group of 20, or G20, summit.

Last week, Biden turned to the national political stage to deliver a blistering speech on Trump's efforts to fire workers at the Social Security Administration, arguing his moves has jeopardized the future of Social Security.

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Pope Francis died on April 21, at 88 years old after suffering a stroke. He has been lying in state since April 23 in St. Peter's Basilica, the papal enclave in Rome.

The pope's funeral begins at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) on April 26. More than 200,000 people are expected to attend the funeral, set for St. Peter's Square, the famous large plaza in front of the basilica in Vatican City.

Biden, a devout Catholic throughout his presidency

Biden is only the second Catholic president elected to office following John F. Kennedy, who was the first Catholic president after being elected in 1960.

During his time as president and in the U.S. Senate, Biden and his family have attended Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Greenville.

Following their deaths in a traffic accident in December 1972, Biden's wife, Neilia, and daughter, Naomi, were buried in All Saints Cemetery off Kirkwood Highway. Their graves were later moved to the cemetery at St. Joseph's.

Biden's elder son, Beau, was also buried at "St. Joe's" after he died of cancer in May 2015.

Biden and family are also known to attend services at St. Edmond's Roman Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach while on vacation.

During his inauguration in January 2021, the Biden family Bible took center stage.

In the family since 1893, the 5-inch thick Bible adorned with a Celtic crosson the cover reemerged each time Biden was sworn in, including his swearing-in as vice president in 2009 and 2013.

It was first used when Biden was sworn in as Delaware's U.S. senator in 1973 during an unorthodox ceremony held in the chapel of Wilmington Hospital, where sons Beau and Hunter were still recovering from injuries after the car accident that killed Neilia and Naomi.

Biden, who grew up Catholic and still attends Mass, has been criticized by some Catholic leaders for his belief in a woman's right to choose abortion.

Delaware Online/The News Journal producer Anthony DiMattia contributed to this story.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden to attend Pope Francis' funeral in Rome