Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass took place at St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday, May 18
He was elected as the new pontiff on May 8 after just three rounds of voting
Vice President J.D. Vance was joined by the Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the mass
Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Rome on Sunday, May 18, for Pope Leo XIV‘s inaugural mass.
Vance, 40, attended the service with the Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He was photographed arriving with his wife Usha Vance in matching black attire for the ceremony held in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican in Italy.
Prince Edward, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium were also in attendance at the mass.
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Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha arrive ahead of the Inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, Italy, on May 18
Vance was spotted shaking hands with Zelenskyy, 47, as they greeted each other in the audience. The pair’s friendly exchange comes after their tense White House meeting with President Donald Trump in February.
Vance was one of the last people to meet with the former pontiff, Pope Francis. He visited with the religious leader one day before Francis’ death on Easter Monday, April 21.
Francis initially dismissed the Catholic convert, but Vance was eventually granted a brief private audience.
AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia
Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky greet each other at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration on May 18
“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Vance later shared on social media. “It was really quite beautiful.”
Following Pope Leo’s election on May 8, social media users were quick to discover that the first American pope had previously been critical of Vance and the Trump administration.
In February, Leo — born Robert Francis Prevost — posted two news articles to his X profile. One, titled, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” refuted Vance’s proclamation about Christian priorities on Fox News. The other delved deeper into the late Pope Francis’ criticism of Vance using the Catholic concept of “ordo amoris” to justify the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
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J.D. Vance met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on April 20, 2025
Despite Leo’s past criticisms, both the president and vice president were quick to offer their congratulations to the Chicago native upon his election as Pope Francis’ successor.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, added, “Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!”
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