Anna Hartz
Pope Still Recovering as JD Vance Visits the Vatican
Others are reading now
Italy is full of Easter visitors this weekend, and among them is US Vice President JD Vance.
He is in Rome for an official visit and spent part of his Saturday at the Vatican, writes Digi24.
He met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who serves as the Vatican’s Secretary of State.
Pope Francis did not attend the meeting. He is still recovering from a respiratory infection that kept him in the hospital for over a month.
The Vatican has not scheduled any official meeting between the Pope and Vance.
However, some say there’s still a chance the two might exchange greetings briefly, possibly during Easter celebrations.
The vice president arrived with his wife Usha and their three children. They were part of a large motorcade that entered the Vatican just before 10:00 a.m. local time.
They came through the Arch of Bells, which is typically used for official state visits.
On Friday, Vance and his family attended the Good Friday service at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Pope was not present for that event either. Vance, who became a Catholic in 2019, is known to belong to the more conservative wing of the Church.
He has previously voiced opinions that differ from Pope Francis, especially on issues like immigration.
While Vance has spoken about faith as a personal journey, there is also political tension behind this visit.
The Vatican has expressed concern over funding cuts to international aid programs under the Trump administration.
Vance, a close ally of Trump, represents many of those same policies.
During his time in Italy, Vance also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. His visit will continue through Easter Sunday.
There is still speculation about whether he and his family might see Pope Francis, even if it’s just a wave or a quick greeting.
For now, the Pope continues to rest following a serious illness. Officials say his schedule remains limited, but the Easter Mass might bring a moment of public appearance.