Pope Leo XIV on Monday received United States Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican, a day after his inauguration mass.
Vance’s spokesperson said the audience with the pontiff lasted 45 minutes.
The Vatican, in a statement, said Vance then met with the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states, Paul Richard Gallagher, for cordial talks.
“Satisfaction at the good bilateral relations was reiterated, and the collaboration between Church and State was discussed, as well as some matters of special relevance to ecclesial life and religious freedom.
“Finally, there was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved”, the Vatican said in a statement.
DAILY POST reports that JD Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019 and Rubio is also a Catholic.
The duo was among the 200,000 dignitaries, royals and faithful gathered Sunday to mark the official start of Leo’s papacy in St Peter’s Square.
Before becoming pope, Leo reposted on his personal X account criticism of US President Donald Trump’s administration over its approach to migration and also pilloried Vance.
However, Vance insisted on Sunday that the United States was “very proud of him”.
“Certainly our prayers go with him as he starts this very important work,” Vance said at a meeting with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
