VATICAN CITY – Bernice King traveled to Rome to receive an international prize recognizing women involved in nonviolence and peace initiatives. The award ceremony was organized by the Gandhi Center in Pisa and Italian Rocco Altieri. But while King was in Rome, she had a private audience with Pope Francis.
“With the state of the world today, we need a moral voice like Pope Francis,” King said in a meeting with Italian media after her time with Pope Francis.
“The words that the pope echoed from my father, the words that he echoes from his heart about peace, non-violence, respect for the dignity of all human beings, the focus on humanity, is very critical right now,” King continued. “There is so much polarization, divisiveness, and conflict in the world. I salute him as that moral leader and that voice in this global world. Thank God for him right now.”
Bernice was only five years old when her father was assassinated. She carries on her father’s legacy, calling for non-violent reform. Next month marks fifty years since Martin Luther King Jr.’s death.
Read more: 10 Underrated Quotes from Pope Francis on the Importance of Fathers
During their meeting, King gave Pope Francis a copy of “The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr: Advocate of the Social Gospel, September 1948-1963” as a gift. She took to Twitter after meeting the Pontiff and said, “So honored to meet and have a private audience with the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
Bernice isn’t the first in her family to visit the Vatican. 53 years ago, Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr. were received in Rome by Pope John Paul VI.
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