JD Vance To Attend Pope Leo XIV’s Inaugural Mass In Rome

Vice President JD Vance will attend Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass on Sunday at the Vatican, his office announced.

“Vice President JD Vance will lead a U.S. Delegation to Vatican City to attend the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV,” the vice president’s office said in a statement Thursday.

Second Lady Usha Vance will accompany her husband, and so will Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Rubio. Rubio is also a Catholic.

Vance is the first Catholic convert to serve as vice president, his office noted. He met with the late Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, the day before the pontiff died at age 88.

Back in 2013, Joe Biden, then vice president and also a Catholic, led the delegation to Pope Francis’ inaugural mass.

Pope Leo XIV, who is 69, was elected the first American pope by the conclave of cardinals on May 8.

Leo, who was previously Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born in Chicago and spent much of his priesthood in Peru until 2023, when he was made a cardinal by Pope Francis.

Francis made Prevost the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican official responsible for recommending priests to be made bishops around the world.

Prevost has been strong on Church doctrine, but he is seen as a centrist on political issues.

In February, before becoming pope, Leo appears to have shared an article on X from a Catholic outlet with the headline, “Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

The new pope has also previously shared several posts critical of the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

Despite any political differences, President Trump offered a congratulatory message after Leo was announced as the new pope.

“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. 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!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump also attended Francis’ funeral in Rome last month.

Vance congratulated the new pope the day he was elected.

“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!” Vance posted on X.

During his last visit, Vance and his wife and children attended the Passion of Christ Mass celebrated by a cardinal marking Good Friday at St. Peter’s Basilica.