U.S. Vice President JD Vance took part in a Good Friday service at St. Peter’s Basilica, arriving with his wife and three young children just days after the death of Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this week at age 88.
The visit comes at a sensitive moment. Vance, a Catholic convert and vocal defender of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, had previously clashed with the late pope over the treatment of migrants. Francis had called the administration’s deportation policy a “disgrace” and issued a public letter rebuking the theological justifications cited by Vance.
Despite their differences, Vance is expected to meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, on Saturday. The meeting will take place amid ongoing tensions between the Vatican and U.S. Catholic institutions over cuts to migrant aid and refugee services.
The U.S. bishops’ conference recently ended a 50-year federal partnership on migrant support, citing severe funding reductions. Vatican officials are reportedly seeking ways to address the fallout and maintain humanitarian programs.
Vance may also attend Pope Francis’s funeral in the coming days, though the Vatican has not yet confirmed the full list of international attendees.
As the Church mourns its first Latin American pontiff, the visit by America’s vice president underlines both the shared heritage and the unresolved disagreements between Washington and the Holy See.
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