NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Commends Pope Francis Ahead of U.S. Visit

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has expressed his excitement for Pope Francis' visit to the east coast city in the upcoming weeks.

De Blasio said in statement this week that he is looking forward to meeting the pope, who is "one of the most respected and revered leaders in the world today."

"He is the person who is speaking most clearly on the issues that challenge us — poverty, income inequality and climate change," he said.

"The Pope's voice is uncompromising and clear and showing a way forward for this entire Earth. So, so many New Yorkers share my enthusiasm and my passion and the sense that this will be a tremendously important moment for all of us," the mayor added.

De Blasio also suggested that he thought former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani should study the teachings of Pope Francis after recent comments Giuliani made regarding the homeless in New York City.

"I think first of all, I would urge the former mayor to listen to what the Pope is saying and what the cardinal is saying in terms of, we don't chase human beings who are in crisis. We try and address their problems and get them to the kind of help they need and off the streets," de Blasio said in a statement on the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC this week.

Francis is set to visit the U.S., including Philadelphia and New York City, in late September.