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U.S. Vice President JD Vance is set to visit Rome on April 18, according to his office. During his visit, Vance plans to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state. The confirmation of the trip came on April 16, although it had been rumored for weeks and appeared on Meloni’s official schedule earlier.
The vice president's office also announced that Vance, along with his family, would be traveling to Italy and India from April 18 to 24. The purpose of the trip is to discuss shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in both countries.
While the announcement did not specify topics for discussion with Cardinal Parolin, it is possible that Vance could attend religious ceremonies, such as the Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on April 18 or Easter morning Mass on April 20 at St. Peter’s Basilica, given his conversion to Catholicism in 2019. However, the Vatican press office stated on April 15 that it had no information to disclose regarding Vance’s participation in these liturgies.
Pope Francis, who is currently recovering from respiratory infections, recently met with Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla but has not met other state leaders since his release from the hospital. These leaders have met with Cardinal Parolin and other officials from the Secretariat of State.
In February, during the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Vance had expressed surprise about Pope Francis’ criticism of the immigration policy from the Trump administration. In a letter to U.S. bishops, Pope Francis praised their efforts to aid migrants and refugees and reiterated his opposition to plans of mass deportations.
"The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality," said Pope Francis.
