VATICAN CITY — On Thursday night, Bernie Sanders was standing under the lights in Brooklyn, being pressed by journalists and his rival at the Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton, to provide details about his often-vague policy ideas.

Less than 12 hours later, and more than 4,000 miles away, near the residence of Pope Francis, Sanders was basking in the attention of appreciative figures from around the world and fielding questions he seemed to enjoy.

"My perception is that the access to quality education is very unequal in the United States," Juan Jose Llach, a former education minister in Argentina, said in addressing the senator. "I don't know if I'm wrong."

Sanders wasted no time parlaying his answer about struggling urban schools and student debt into an argument for one of his signature campaign policies: tuition-free public colleges.

"Whoever informed you about these problems with education is absolutely right," Sanders said. "Buildings are literally crumbling. Roofs are leaking. And the children are not getting, by any stretch of the imagination, the education they need."

The Vermont senator took a break from the campaign trail before the New York primary on Tuesday to attend a conference hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, a group that examines social, economic and environmental issues and is housed within a 16th-century villa inside Vatican City.

Sanders spent most of the day sitting in an ornate room with marble floors, a large gold cross and a quaint bust that overlooked the conference.

And even though the pope sent his regrets about not being able to attend the conference, Sanders seized on the opportunity to praise Francis' "transformative role" and to take his own denunciations of greed to a global stage. And though he remains an underdog in his quest for the White House, for at least one day Sanders was able to present himself as a representative of the United States.

Sanders flew to Rome on a seven-hour charter flight right after the debate. On the plane he put the finishing touches on a 15-minute speech, changed his clothes and prepared for a long day at the Vatican. His wife, Jane, their children and several grandchildren came along.

Soon after landing, Sanders and several advisers hustled into waiting vehicles and sped past ancient Italian buildings toward Vatican City, sirens blaring as the motorcade navigated narrow streets.

Once he arrived, Sanders was quickly driven past a dozen or so Americans cheering at the Vatican gates, many holding handmade signs that read "Ex-Pats 4 Bernie," "Rome for Bernie," and "Rome is Berning."

Katie Scarpone, 52, moved from the United States to Italy four years ago and waited outside the Vatican gates to catch a glimpse of Sanders. She said she had she voted for him in the primary held by Democrats abroad in March. "I wanted to experience the enthusiasm that I see on TV," she said. "He's touching the hearts of the people."

Sanders' speech to the conference hit familiar themes, including railing against the "top 1 percent."