United States Vice President JD Vance Monday held a private audience with Pope Leo XIV during a diplomatic visit to Rome, concluding his official trip with a series of high-level meetings at the Vatican.
According to a statement released by the Holy See, Pope Leo met with Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting was followed by discussions with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with Foreign States.
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The talks focused on ongoing global conflicts, though no specific war was mentioned in the official Vatican release. Both sides exchanged views and emphasized the need for adherence to humanitarian and international law in war-torn regions, as well as the pursuit of negotiated settlements.
However, in his homily during a mass on Sunday at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo did reference crises in Gaza, Myanmar, and Ukraine, signaling the Vatican’s concern for these flashpoints.
The Vatican described the meetings as cordial and noted “satisfaction at the good bilateral relations” between the Holy See and the United States.
This marks Vice President Vance’s second private audience with the Vatican in a month. He was received by Pope Francis during Easter celebrations before the Pope’s death the following day at age 88.
Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago-born cleric, was officially inaugurated over the weekend, with Vance among several international dignitaries in attendance.
NAN
