"Just Learned...": US Veep JD Vance, Who Met Pope Francis Day Before He Died

NDTV

21-04-2025

New Delhi:
US Vice President JD Vance has expressed his grief over the death of Pope Francis.
The head of the Catholic Church, the spiritual leader of over 1.4 billion people, and one of the world's most influential people, the Pope died Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican.
At 7.35 am local time (11.05 am India time), Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, confirmed the Holy Father's death. "... this morning, the Bishop of Rome returned to the home of the Father. His life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church," he said.
After the Pope's death was announced, tributes poured in immediately from global heads of state, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as celebrities and business leaders.
Mr Modi said he was "deeply pained" by the 88-year-old spiritual leader's death and recalled his meeting with him at the G7 Summit in Italy last year. Pope Francis will be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility, and spiritual courage by millions across the world," he said.
Mr Vance - who landed in India Tuesday morning - followed suit at 2.15 pm.
The Vice President said he had "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 of COVID. It was really quite beautiful."
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…
— JD Vance (@JDVance) April 21, 2025
"May God rest his soul," the VEEP said.
JD Vance - a Catholic who has clashed with the pontiff over President Donald Trump's immigration policies - met the Pope 24 hours earlier; he held a private meeting, lasting a few minutes only, Sunday morning, the Vatican said in its short statement.
Reports said the two exchanged Easter greetings and the Pope gave Mr Vance gifts, including a red rosary for him, a white rosary for his wife, and chocolate Easter eggs for his children.
Trump, Vance At Odds With Pope
The pope and Vatican officials have criticised several of the policies of Trump's administration, including his plans to deport millions of migrants from the U.S. and his widespread cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programmes.
Francis has called the immigration crackdown a "disgrace". Vance, who became Catholic in 2019, has cited medieval-era Catholic teaching to justify the policy.
The pope rebutted the theological concept Vance used to defend the crackdown in an unusual open letter to the US Catholic bishops about the Trump administration in February and called Trump's plan a "major crisis" for the United States.
Pope Francis Dies, What Next?
After the death of a pope, the Vatican enters an interregnum period.
This is the time between the Pope's death and the election of a new leader.
First the camerlengo (the Vatican's administrator of property and revenues) verifies the death. He does this by calling out his baptismal name three times. If there is no response, he declares the pope dead.
The Vatican then informs the world through its official channels that the pope has died.
The papal apartment is then locked by the camerlengo; this used to be done to prevent looting. The camerlengo then arranges for the destruction of the Fisherman's Ring and the seal of the Pope.
This symbolises the end of his rule.
The funeral must be held within six days of a pope's death. The pope is then buried at St Peter's Basilica unless he has requested, as in this case, to be buried elsewhere.
A nine-day mourning period follows, after which the process of electing a new pope begins.