US Vice President JD Vance became the most prominent world leader who met Pope Francis a day before his death.
Pope Francis met JD Vance (James David Vance) shortly before he gave the Urbi et Orbi or ‘to the city and to the world’ blessing that marked the end of the Easter Sunday mass which Cardinal Angelo Comastri presided over in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 20, 2025.
Vance and his family were in Italy at the weekend. The VP met senior Vatican officials on Saturday, April 19, 2025. The pope was not part of the formal discussions.
Vance and Pope Francis met at the pontiff’s Vatican residence.
“It was an honor to meet with Pope Francis, Prime Minister Meloni, and Church officials in Italy this weekend. Visiting Rome with my family during Holy Week was an incredible experience,” wrote Vance after the meeting.
Aged 40, VP Vance became a Catholic in 2019. He and Pope Francis have previously disagreed on US immigration policies and foreign aid cuts, especially under the Donald Trump administration.
While the Trump administration wants millions of illegal immigrants deported to their home countries, Pope Francis had described the plan as “crisis” and a “disgrace.”
On Monday, 21 April 2025, hours after the Vatican pronounced Pope Francis dead at the age of 88, Vance said how happy he was to have met him even when he looked “very ill.” He also remembered his Friday, 27 March 2020 homily during the Covid19 pandemic.
“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” wrote Vance.
“But I’ll always remember him for the… homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.”
You can read about Pope Francis’ Battle with Lung Infections Since His Early 20s Here.
You can read interesting things about Pope Francis, what happens after the death of a pope and how a new pope is chosen Here, There and Over There .
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