Archbishop Christophe Pierre, 75, who was appointed apostolic nuncio to the United States in April 2016, said that Pope Francis has asked him to stay in his position beyond the customary five-year term and retirement age.

Warning against polarization and “cultural war” and praising synodality, he confirmed indirectly that President Biden and Pope Francis will meet when the president visits Rome later this month, despite the “tense situation because of the agenda of the Democratic Party on abortion.”

“The Pope is not a dictator, he is a mobilizer,” the nuncio added. “What he wants is to help the Church be Church here (in the US).”

Asked why a portrait of his predecessor, papal critic Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, remains in the nunciature, Archbishop Pierre said, “Because we are not Americans (who) want to take away the statues. We respect history.”