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, briefly spoke and shook 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 (@CatholicNewsSvc) May 18, 2025
The brief exchange was captured on video by Vatican Media.
WATCH:
Vice President JD Vance meets Pope Leo XIV
— ALX (@alx) May 18, 2025
The vice president has been a practicing Catholic since converting in 2019.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic convert, is seen kneeling in prayer at the Vatican. He is currently in Italy with his wife, Usha, to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, scheduled for tomorrow.
Image: JD Vance pic.twitter.com/XnjMGGJW9P
— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) May 17, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife also joined the U.S. delegation to the inaugural mass.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is not Catholic, was also in attendance.
Zelenskyy, who infamously clashed with Vance during his last White House visit, was seen shaking the vice president’s hand before mass began.
Zelensky and Vance met for the first time since their legendary clash at the White House — and shook hands
What do you think they said to each other?
Was it free of jabs and dress code criticism this time? pic.twitter.com/QMBN8aZPGC— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 18, 2025
Like during his White House visit, the Ukrainian president was again not wearing a suit to the formal occasion.
Daily Wire writer Mary Margaret Olahan pointed out, “As he visits the tomb of Pope Francis, Vice President Vance appears to be wearing the Vatican tie that Pope Francis gifted him less than 24 hours before he died.”
As he visits the tomb of Pope Francis, Vice President Vance appears to be wearing the Vatican tie that Pope Francis gifted him less than 24 hours before he died. https://t.co/1NsLYIfMZR pic.twitter.com/bELm9LjgX9
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) May 18, 2025
