Surprisingly, Pope Paul VI and Lyndon B Johnson had a closer relationship than most presidents have had with figures as such in the past.
Originally, Lyndon wanted the pope to become a peacemaker of sorts to the Vietnamese, who had been fighting with them at the time.
While this never happened under the Pope’s reign, gifts were exchanged between the two that were diplomatic niceties seen by other world leaders.
While the Pope’s gift was Christmas related, an oil painting of a 15th century Nativity scene, President Lyndon B Johnson gave the pope a bronze bust of another American president.
That president wasn’t one of catholic religion, nor was it a president that made an extreme impact - yet.
Lyndon B Johnson gave the pope a bronze bust of himself! Conceited, right? The look on the Pope’s face thought that also.
