Not long before what would become his final public appearance, a blessing of the crowds gathered for Easter Sunday mass in St Peterโs Square and an unexpected popemobile tour of the piazza, Pope Francis welcomed Vice President JD Vance.
Among the last individuals to interact with the pontiff before his passing early Monday morning (April 21, 2025) was US vice-president JD Vance, a passionate though relatively new convert to Roman Catholicism.
The meeting took place Sunday morning (April 20, 2025) at the Domus Santa Marta guest house, the modest residence where Francis spent his 12-year papacy. According to statements from the Vatican and Vanceโs office, they exchanged brief Easter greetings, and the 88-year-old pope gifted the vice-president rosaries, a Vatican tie and three large chocolate Easter eggs for his children.
Despite Vanceโs much-publicized faith, this encounter surprised many in both Washington and Rome. The two had engaged in heated public disagreements recently over the Trump administrationโs immigration policies, particularly regarding mass deportation efforts.
In a February letter to US Catholic bishops, the leader of the worldโs 1.4 billion Roman Catholics described the mass deportations as a โmajor crisisโ that was damaging โthe dignity of many men and womenโ.
Francis acknowledged the right of a country to keep its communities safe from people who had committed violent or serious crimes, but said: โWhat is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.โ
The bishop of Romeโs message couldnโt have been clearer to an administration known for its direct communication style.

Francis also challenged Vanceโs use of the medieval Catholic concept of ordo amoris, or rightly ordered love, which the vice-president had cited to argue that care should prioritize oneโs immediate community and fellow citizens before extending globally.
โChristian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups,โ the pope pointed out in his letter to the bishops. โThe true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the Good Samaritan, that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.โ
While Vance acknowledged the pontiffโs criticism, he maintained his stance. At Februaryโs national Catholic prayer breakfast in Washington DC, he sidestepped the specific issue but described himself as a โbaby Catholicโ and admitted there were โthings about the faith that I donโt know.โ
Francis had previously taken public stands against Trumpโs policies. During a Mexico visit in February 2016, months before Trumpโs first presidential victory, the pope delivered a pointed critique of the business mogulโs signature border wall proposal.
โSomeone who only thinks about constructing walls, wherever they might be, rather than building bridges, cannot be considered Christian,โ he declared bluntly. โThis isnโt what the gospel teaches us.โ
The response from Trump was swift and heated. โFor a religious leader to question someoneโs faith is truly disgraceful,โ he fired back. โNo leader, particularly a religious one, has any right to judge another personโs religious beliefs or faith.โ
Just before the papal meeting, Vanceโs team had met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticanโs Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who handles foreign affairs.
While the Vatican described these discussions as cordial, they noted there had been โan exchange of views on international matters, specifically regarding nations impacted by warfare, political tensions and challenging humanitarian situations, with special focus on migrants, refugees, and those imprisoned.โ
Despite their past clashes, one of Francisโs final visitors was among the first to mourn his death publicly.
โI just learned of the passing of Pope Francis,โ Vance posted on X on Monday. โMy heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But Iโll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of Covid. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.โ
While the private details of Sundayโs meeting between the two men will likely remain unknown, Francisโs final Urbi et Orbi message, read on his behalf during mass at St Peterโs Square that Sunday, carried his characteristic call for compassion and understanding.
โHow much disdain is often shown toward those who are vulnerable, marginalized, and migrants,โ the message stated. โOn this day, I want us all to renew our hope and revive our trust in others, including those who differ from us, or who come from faraway places, bringing unfamiliar traditions, ways of life and ideas. For we are all Godโs children.โ