Inside the President's Visit With the Pope

A look at Obama's historic first visit with Pope Francis.

The Holy See - President Obama met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on March 27. It was his second meeting with a pope. He met Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. The president is a great admirer of the pope and his views on economic inequality. Here's a glimpse into their visit. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)(Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

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The Holy See - President Obama met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on March 27. It was his second meeting with a pope. He met Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. The president is a great admirer of the pope and his views on economic inequality. Here's a glimpse into their visit. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)(Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

What an Honor - "Wonderful meeting you," the president told the Roman Catholic Church leader before their 52-minute meeting. "It is a great honor. I am a great admirer. Thank you so much for receiving me."(Photo: AP Photo/Gabriel Bouys, Pool)

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What an Honor - "Wonderful meeting you," the president told the Roman Catholic Church leader before their 52-minute meeting. "It is a great honor. I am a great admirer. Thank you so much for receiving me."(Photo: AP Photo/Gabriel Bouys, Pool)

A President and a Pope Walk Into a Room... - It was like Christmas in March. During their first meeting, which took place at the Vatican in Rome, Obama and Pope Francis had a gift exchange on March 27, 2014. The president gave the pope a box made from timber from the first cathedral to open in the United States, in Baltimore, filled with seeds from his wife's White House garden. In return, he received two medallions and a copy of Evangelii Gaudium, or The Joy of the Gospel, penned by the pope, which calls for a a renewed focus on the poor. (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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Savoring the Moment - The meeting between the president and the pontiff took place during a period of major differences between the Catholic Church here in the U.S. and the Obama administration on issues like contraception, abortion and same-sex marriage.  (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

I Feel Your Pain - In a lighthearted moment, Obama joked about the pomp and circumstance of being a leader. "His Holiness is probably the only person who has to put up with more protocol than me," he said.(Photo: AP Photo/Gabriel Bouys, Pool)

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I Feel Your Pain - In a lighthearted moment, Obama joked about the pomp and circumstance of being a leader. "His Holiness is probably the only person who has to put up with more protocol than me," he said.(Photo: AP Photo/Gabriel Bouys, Pool)

Food for the Soul - In keeping with Vatican tradition, the two leaders exchanged gifts. Obama gave the pope a seed chest custom made from reclaimed wood from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in Baltimore that contained fruit and vegetable seeds from the White House garden. He also invited Francis to tour the garden.  (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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Food for the Soul - In keeping with Vatican tradition, the two leaders exchanged gifts. Obama gave the pope a seed chest custom made from reclaimed wood from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in Baltimore that contained fruit and vegetable seeds from the White House garden. He also invited Francis to tour the garden.  (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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A Source of Strength - Pope Francis presented the president with an apostolic exhortation titled Evangelii Gaudium or The Joy of the Gospel, in which he calls for a renewed focus on the world's poor. Obama said that he would "probably read it in the Oval Office when I'm deeply frustrated. I'm sure it will give me strength and calm me down." The president also received two medallions. (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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A Source of Strength - Pope Francis presented the president with an apostolic exhortation titled Evangelii Gaudium or The Joy of the Gospel, in which he calls for a renewed focus on the world's poor. Obama said that he would "probably read it in the Oval Office when I'm deeply frustrated. I'm sure it will give me strength and calm me down." The president also received two medallions. (Photo: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Reflections - "I was grateful to have the opportunity to speak with him about the responsibilities that we all share to care for the least of these, the poor, the excluded," Obama said after the meeting. "And I was extremely moved by his insights about the importance of us all having a moral perspective on world problems and not simply thinking in terms of our own narrow self-interests."(Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

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Reflections - "I was grateful to have the opportunity to speak with him about the responsibilities that we all share to care for the least of these, the poor, the excluded," Obama said after the meeting. "And I was extremely moved by his insights about the importance of us all having a moral perspective on world problems and not simply thinking in terms of our own narrow self-interests."(Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)