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Biden is the second Catholic U.S. president, and his faith is central in his public image. The pastor at a D.C. church where the president worships tells NPR that Biden has felt supported by Francis.
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The pope spoke about a report released Tuesday that estimated some 330,000 French children were abused by clergy and other church authority figures dating back to 1950.
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From the balcony of a tenth-floor window, the 84-year-old pope gave a blessing and spoke of the importance of free and accessible health care.
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The surprise move is seen as a rebuke to Pope Francis, who is weighing whether to allow older, married men to be ordained in some South American countries, where a shortage of priests is acute.
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In a nearly hourlong speech, Pope Francis called for action on climate change, encouraged empathy for immigrants and advocated for the poor. He also said he supports abolishing the death penalty.
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Pope Francis is the first pope from Latin America, a choice that makes sense strategically as the church becomes less Europe-centric. But how he will direct the church, which is still dealing with the fallout of the sexual abuse crisis and other challenges, remains unclear.