Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders enjoyed a visit with Pope Francis Saturday during his trip to the Vatican.
According to NBC News, Sanders met with the pope just outside the Vatican’s breakfast room at 6 a.m. The New York Times reported the meeting lasted just five minutes.
“In terms of economic justice, the need to combat climate change — nobody in the world has been more profound and articulate than the pope, and I’m delighted to go forward with him on those issues,” Sanders told NBC News.
Sanders also told NBC that the brief meeting was “the highlight of the trip.”
Sanders met with the pope as he seeks to catch up to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton back home. Sanders has sought to distinguish him as the candidate in the race most attuned to the struggles of ordinary people and has tried to paint Clinton as too connected to Wall Street and big business.
Sanders also planned to attend a meeting Saturday on economic inequality.
“I am a great admirer of Pope Francis, and when I received this invitation, I believe that I would’ve kicked myself for the rest of my life if I did not attend a conference,” Sanders told NBC.
