Vice President to lead Presidential Delegation to Inauguration Mass celebrating the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Francis...President Obama formally announced on Friday that Vice President Joe Biden will lead the Presidential Delegation to attend the Inauguration Mass celebrating the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Francis. Biden earlier announced the news on Wednesday when he issued a statement congratulating the new pontiff.
The Inauguration Mass will be on Tuesday, March 19 at the Vatican. Joining the Vice President will be New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA), and Dr. John J. DeGioia, President of Georgetown University.
With luck, the Vice President's trip will be a future installment in his new White House reality series, 'Being Biden.' The Vice President is America's highest ranking Irish American politician, and thanks to the historic trip he will be missing this year's White House St. Patrick's Day Celebration, which falls on the same day.
The Vice President's message congratulating Pope Francis:
"Jill and I want to offer our congratulations to His Holiness Pope Francis, and extend our prayers as he takes on this holy responsibility. I am happy to have the chance to personally relay my well wishes, and those of the American people, when I travel to Rome for his Inaugural Mass. The Catholic Church plays an essential role in my life and the lives of more than a billion people in America and around the world, not just in matters of our faith, but in pursuit of peace and human dignity for all faiths. I look forward to our work together in the coming years on many important issues."
Related: President Obama's statement on the election of Pope Francis
*Photo by Obama for America
