VP Vance Meets Pope Francis at Vatican on Easter Sunday, Discusses Migration

Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Easter Sunday, shortly before the pontiff delivered a sermon emphasizing the need for political leaders to support vulnerable populations, Bloomberg reports.

The meeting, the first between a US Vice President and the Pope since 2020, took place as Vance was in Rome with his wife, Usha, and their three children for a combination of work and personal outings.

Video footage from EWTN showed Vance greeting Pope Francis, who was seated in a wheelchair. The Pope gifted Vance a Vatican tie, rosary beads, and Easter eggs for his children.

“I know you’ve not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance said to the Pope, who recently recovered from a five-week hospital stay due to pneumonia. “Thank you for seeing me.”

Vance’s visit inside the Vatican lasted approximately 20 minutes. The Vice President and his family later attended Easter Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

This meeting followed a more extensive visit on Saturday where Vance engaged in an “exchange of opinions” with Vatican officials on various topics including migrants, refugees, and prisoners, according to a statement from the Holy See.

While the Vatican described Saturday’s meeting as “cordial,” a readout from Vance’s office did not mention any discussion about immigration matters.

Following the meeting with Vance, Pope Francis delivered his Easter message, known as “Urbi et Orbi,” from the Papal balcony, focusing on the plight of the less fortunate. The Pope’s message came after recent criticisms of the Trump administration’s stance on migrants and forced deportations.

Earlier this year, regarding the administration’s stance on immigrants, Vance defended the Pope’s right to speak his mind but stated he would stand by his own views on the issue.

In addition to the meeting with Pope Francis, Vance also held discussions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other top Italian officials during his stay in Rome. Vance is scheduled to depart for India later on Sunday.