Vice President JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis in Vatican City on Easter Sunday as the supreme pontiff recovers from a severe bout of pneumonia.
Vance traveled to Rome ahead of Easter to meet with top Italian officials including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani. Vance, who is Catholic, was able to meet with the pope as well as Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the top diplomat for the Holy See, during the trip.
The vice president met with Francis briefly; the Vance motorcade was on Vatican property for less than 20 minutes, according to the Associated Press. During the meeting, the pope presented Vance with gifts, including a Vatican tie, rosaries, and three chocolate Easter eggs for his children.
The Vatican said that a “cordial conversation took place” between Vance and Francis on “the common commitment to protect the right to religious…
