Pope Francis is more popular in the United States than President Barack Obama, according to the results of a new poll.
The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll reveals that 56 percent of Americans hold a favorable opinion of the Pope, compared to 44 percent who feel the same way about Obama.
The poll also concluded that "43 percent of Americans have a more favorable view of the church because of the Pope's statements — which include his famous 'Who am I to judge' position on gays — while only 4 percent see the church in a less favorable light."
Only 6 percent of Americans, according to the survey, have a negative view of the current Pope.
Pope Benedict XVI, who stepped down in 2013 before Francis was elected, was not as well liked in the U.S. According to a 2013 WSJ/NBC News poll, 30 percent of Americans held a favorable view of him.
A 1998 poll found that 65 percent of Americans had a positive view of Pope John Paul II, who served from 1978-2005.
Obama met with Pope Francis during a visit to Vatican City last year, and the Pope
will visit the White House in September during a trip to the U.S. The 78-year-old Pope is also
scheduled to address a joint session of Congress at that time.
On Thursday, it was reported that Pope Francis'
doctors advised him to cut back on his pasta consumption because he has gained weight. His biographer, Elisabetta Pique, blamed the papal weight gain on a lack of activity.
"He is not a big eater," she said. "But now he is not able to walk as he did in Buenos Aires and I think that is the reason he's gained a little weight."