ROME (REUTERS) - Joe Biden and his wife Jill attended mass on Saturday evening (Oct 30) in the American church of Rome, a day after the US president met Pope Francis and said later that the pontiff had told him he is a "good Catholic" who can receive communion.

       That statement widened a gulf between Francis and conservative US bishops who want to deny him the right to receive communion because of Biden's support for abortion rights.

       A person inside the church on Saturday told Reuters the president took communion.

       Biden regularly attends mass in Washington, DC, either on Saturday night or Sunday.

       In Rome, where he was taking part in a summit of the Group of 20 world's richest nations, he attended mass at St Patrick's Church, near the US Embassy.

       Catholics can attend mass on Saturday night to fulfil their Sunday obligation.

       Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who is also Catholic, attended mass in the same church earlier this month but had to leave early because of a security threat connected with people protesting in a nearby square against coronavirus vaccinations.

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