Pope Francis held strong relations with the United States throughout his papacy.

His last papal visit to Washington was in 2015, when President Barack Obama was in office.

During his visit, the Pope was greeted ceremoniously at the White House. 

He met with Mr. Obama in the Oval Office and a ceremony was held on the South Lawn.

Adoring fans lined the streets of Washington to greet him as he made his way to the U.S. Capitol.

There he would make history, becoming the first pontiff ever to address a joint meeting of Congress.

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In his 50-minute speech, the Pope took on some hot-button political issues, calling for action on climate change, an abolition of the death penalty and compassion for undocumented immigrants.

Francis then moved from the Capitol grounds to comfort some of the city’s neediest, speaking to people served by Catholic Charities and calling on the faithful to eliminate homelessness.

After serving lunch to some of the homeless, Francis wrapped up his whirlwind visit to Washington before heading New York and Philadelphia.

Since then, Francis remained tied to the United States, and several politicians sought out His Holiness.

During his first term, President Trump visited Vatican City, where handshakes, gifts, friendly small talk and big hopes for peace were exchanged.

In 2022, former House Speaker and Catholic Nancy Pelosi visited the pontiff.

And in 2024, former President Joe Biden – only the second Catholic president in U.S. history – met with Francis at the G7 Summit.

Shortly before leaving office, Mr. Biden honored Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

And most recently, only one day before Pope Francis’s death, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance received an audience on Easter Sunday.