Vice -President JD Vance and First Lady Usha met Pope Leo XIV during his inauguration mass in Vatican City on Sunday.
Vance and Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, spoke briefly and shaking hands in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with @VP JD Vance and @Secrubio In St. Peter’s Basilica after mass, but older brother Louis Prevost gets a hug. pic.twitter.com/bnekyg0vpj
– Catholic News Service Rome (@CatholicNewsvc) May 18, 2025
The short exchange was recorded on video by Vatican media.
WATCH:
Vice President JD Vance meets Pope Leo XIV
– Alx (@arx) May 18, 2025
The Vice President is a practicing Catholic since converting in 2019.
The American Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, is seen kneeling in prayer in the Vatican. He is currently in Italy with his wife, Usha, to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, planned for tomorrow.
Image: JD Vance pic.twitter.com/xnjmggjw9p
– Sachin Jose (@sachinettiyil) May 17, 2025
State Secretary Marco Rubio and his wife also joined the American delegation to the inaugural mass.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zenskyy, who is not a Catholic, was also present.
Zenskyyy, who was notorious with Vance during his last visit of the White House, was seen that the hand of the vice president shook before the mass started.
Zensky and Vance met each other for the first time since their legendary collision in the White House – and shaking hands
What do you think they said to each other?
Was it free from Jabs and clothing code criticism this time? pic.twitter.com/qmbn8azpgc– Nexta (@nexta_tv) May 18, 2025
As during his visit to the White House, the Ukrainian president again wore no suit for the formal occasion.
Daily wire writer Mary Margaret Olahan pointed out: “While visiting Pope Francis’s grave, Vice President Vance seems to bear the Vatican draw that Pope Francis gave him less than 24 hours before he died.”
While visiting Pope Francis’s grave, Vice President Vance seems to bear the Vatican draw that Pope Francis he died less than 24 hours before he died. https://t.co/1nslyifmzr pic.twitter.com/belm9ljgx9
– Mary Margaret Olohan (@marymargolohan) May 18, 2025
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