Pope Leo XIII received US Vice President J.D. Vance in audience this morning - a day after Vance attended his solemn enthronement, reports Agence France-Presse, BTA.
The Vatican published an official photo of the Chicago-born pope with the US Vice President and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During his visit to the Vatican, Vance also met with the "foreign minister" of the Holy See - Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. An official statement said that the two sides expressed satisfaction with the good bilateral relations and exchanged views on current international issues. They stressed the importance of respecting humanitarian and international law in conflict zones and the need for peaceful solutions through negotiations.
Yesterday, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio, along with dozens of political leaders, royals and about 200,000 believers, attended the official ceremony of Leo XIV's ascension to the papal throne in Rome.
Before becoming pope, Leo XIV was known for his criticism on the social network "X" of the migration policy of the then US President Donald Trump, including harsh words towards Vance himself.
However, yesterday the US vice president said that the US was "very proud" of with the new pope.
“Our prayers are certainly with him as he embarks on this very important mission,“ Vance said this afternoon during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.