During his weekend visit to the Vatican, U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Francis, who was nearing the end of his life.
On Easter Sunday, the gathering was held. Upon entering the chamber, Vance, who had recently converted to Catholicism, extended a hand toward the pope. “Hello,” said the vice president. “It is a delight to see you.”
A video that the Vatican published showed Pope Francis seated in a wheelchair, but his speech could hardly be made out.
“I understand you haven’t been feeling well, but it’s encouraging to see you improving,” Vance remarked.
On behalf of the pope, a priest acting as interpreter spoke.
The priest remarked, “These are for your children,” as someone handed Vance a dozen chocolate eggs. A rosary and a Vatican tie were among the extra presents that followed on a plate.
As he grasped the black tie, Vance murmured, “I’m grateful.” Stunning, I thought.
Before saying their goodbyes, they posed for a portrait with Vance standing to the pope’s right.
“I keep you in my prayers daily,” Vance remarked. “May you be blessed.”
Political tensions ran high throughout Vance’s visit; on Saturday, he met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin for what the Vatican dubbed “an exchange of opinions.” While Vance and Trump have called for crackdowns, the Catholic Church, led by Francis, has championed migrant rights.
“Discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trump’s commitment to restoring world peace,” according to Vance’s office, writing that the VP and cardinal “discussed their shared religious faith.”
On Monday morning, following Francis’ death, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters that she had talked with members of Vance’s staff.
She explained that the group had spoken about how “excited and grateful” they were to having met with the pope only yesterday.
We are praying for all those who loved the pope and believed in him. Francis “touched millions of lives throughout his tenure as the head of the Catholic Church and so it’s a solemn day for Catholics around the world,” Leavitt added.
“May Pope Francis Rest in Peace! “Trump said in a message posted on Truth Social. He was loved by many, and may God bless them all!
It was during Monday’s White House Easter Egg Roll when Trump announced his decision to fly the American flag at half-staff in honor of the pope, an executive order he had signed earlier.
“He was a good man,” the president informed reporters. It is a privilege to do what he loved—do what he loved for the world.
Vance shared his reflections on social media before continuing on to India from Italy.
The news of Pope Francis’s death just reached me. “I am deeply saddened for the millions of Christians around the globe who cherished him,” he said on X. “Seeing him yesterday brought a smile to my face, even though he was obviously quite sick.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world in 2020, Vance published a link to Francis’s statements on March 27, 2020.
In the early days of COVID, he delivered the homily below, which would always stick with me, Vance wrote. I thought it was just stunning.
Pope Francis had addressed the assembly from Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica.
An ominous cloud has descended across our public spaces, streets, and towns, he declared. “It has consumed our lives, enveloping everything in an oppressive stillness and an unsettling emptiness.”
Because “with God life never dies,” he urged his listeners to put their trust in God as a means of perseverance.
