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United States Vice-President JD Vance has offered a heartfelt tribute following the death of Pope Francis, reflecting on their meeting on Easter Sunday, just a day before the pontiff passed away.
“My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance wrote in a post on social media platform X. “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.”
I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My 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 I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days…
Advertisement · Scroll to continue— JD Vance (@JDVance) April 21, 2025
Vance, who embraced Catholicism as an adult, had traveled to Rome for a series of diplomatic meetings over the weekend before departing for India. Although the encounter with Pope Francis was not a part of his original itinerary, the two met on Easter Sunday.
JD Vance Shares Personal Homily from the Pope Francis
Following his tribute, the Vice-President shared a link to one of his favorite homilies delivered by Pope Francis — a March 2020 sermon on fear and faith, given during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The homily, reflective of Pope Francis’s approach to spiritual resilience, resonated deeply with Vance, who chose to highlight it during this time of mourning.
In addition to his meeting with the Pope, Vance held discussions with top Vatican officials during his visit. On Saturday, he met with the Vatican’s Secretary of State and the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations.
According to an official statement from the Vatican, the talks were described as “cordial” and focused on reaffirming the “good existing bilateral relations” between the United States and the Holy See. The statement also emphasized a “common commitment” to the protection of religious freedom.
Pope Francis Dies at 88 After Long Illness
The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis — the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church — on Monday. He was 88 years old.
“This morning at 07:35 local time (05:35 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in a statement posted on the Vatican’s official Telegram channel.
Despite his declining health, Pope Francis had made a public appearance the day before his death, greeting thousands of worshippers at St Peter’s Square to wish them a happy Easter.
He had only recently been discharged from hospital after five weeks of treatment for an infection that resulted in double pneumonia.
Also Read: PM Modi Pays Tribute To Pope Francis, Remembers His Diligent Service To the Poor And Downtrodden
