JD Vance Extends Invitation to Pope Leo XIV for US Visit Amid Ongoing Diplomatic Initiatives

During a meeting at the Vatican, US Vice President JD Vance invited Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States. This meeting occurred on Monday as part of US diplomatic efforts to advance a ceasefire in Ukraine. Vance presented the Chicago-born pope with a letter from US President Donald Trump and the first lady, inviting him to the US. The pope placed the letter on his desk, saying "at some point," as captured in Vatican Media footage.

Vance, who became a Catholic in 2019, gifted Pope Leo two significant works by St. Augustine: "The City of God" and "On Christian Doctrine." Additionally, he gave the pope a Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo's name. "As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you," Vance remarked during their gift exchange.

Diplomatic Discussions and Gifts

Pope Leo reciprocated with a bronze sculpture inscribed with "Peace is a fragile flower" in Italian and a coffee-table book of the papal apartments. He noted that while Francis chose not to live there, he might consider it. Vance led the US delegation at Sunday's Mass marking the start of Leo's pontificate, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Vance and Rubio also met with Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher. They discussed international issues, emphasizing respect for humanitarian and international law in conflict zones and seeking negotiated solutions. A Vatican statement highlighted these discussions.

Commitment to Peace

The White House reported that Vance and Gallagher talked about religious freedom, Christian persecution globally, and shared commitments by Trump and Pope Leo to end violence in Ukraine and the Middle East. Photos from the Vatican showed Leo's brother Louis Prevost and his wife Deborah joining the delegation.

The Vatican listed Vance's group as one of several private audiences for Leo on Monday. These included other Christian leaders and faithful from his former diocese in Chiclayo, Peru. The Vatican has offered to host peace talks while aiding humanitarian efforts like prisoner swaps and reuniting Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

Efforts for Ukraine

After briefly greeting Pope Leo at Sunday's Mass conclusion, Vance held separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Italy's Premier Giorgia Meloni. Meloni expressed hope for a "new beginning" from their trilateral meeting.

In the evening, Meloni spoke with Trump and other European leaders before Trump's expected call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, is an Augustinian missionary from Chicago who served mainly in Chiclayo, Peru.

Since his election on May 8, Leo has committed to making "every effort" for peace in Ukraine. He continues Pope Francis' focus on aiding migrants and the poor. Before his election, Prevost criticized Trump's mass deportation plans on X.

Vance was among the last foreign officials to meet Pope Francis before his death on April 21. They had disagreements over migration policies, with Francis opposing Trump's deportation plans and correcting Vance's theological stance.

With inputs from PTI