JD Vance and Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

Pope León XIV received the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance, and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in an approximately 45-minute audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican on Monday.

The visit took place the day after the inaugural mass of the new pontiff, held in St. Peter's Square before more than 200,000 people, and at a time of intense diplomatic activity led by the United States to advance toward a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.

During the meeting, the Pope and the high-ranking American officials, both practicing Catholics, discussed bilateral relations, the collaboration between the Church and the State, and key issues such as religious freedom and ecclesiastical life.

Additionally, they exchanged views on current international conflicts, emphasizing the importance of respecting humanitarian law and international law, and the need to reach negotiated solutions.

Although the Vatican's statement did not directly mention the conflict in Ukraine, León XIV had already publicly expressed his concern for "martyred Ukraine" during his Sunday homily, as well as for the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The pontiff, born in Chicago and holding Peruvian citizenship, also offered the Holy See as a venue for future peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. That same day, he held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accompanied by his wife Olena Zelenska and his diplomatic team.

Vance took advantage of the audience with the Pope to deliver a personal letter from President Donald Trump and the First Lady, officially inviting León XIV to visit the United States.

In images released by the Vatican, the Pope is seen receiving the letter and placing it on his desk, simply saying: "At some point." Additionally, Vance gifted the pontiff two key works by Saint Augustine, The City of God and On Christian Doctrine, as well as a Chicago Bears football team jersey with the name León printed on it.

Meanwhile, the Pope gave the Vice President a bronze sculpture with the phrase "Peace is a fragile flower" and a photographic book about the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace. León XIV commented that, although his predecessor Francis chose not to reside there, he has not yet made a definitive decision on the matter.

The American delegation also included meetings with high-ranking Vatican officials such as the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, with whom Rubio met the previous day.

According to Vance's spokesperson, Luke Schroeder, the papal audience was the first of several private meetings that León XIV held on Monday with other Christian leaders and faithful from his former diocese in Chiclayo, Peru.

Vance's visit to the Vatican comes at a key moment of restarting talks between Ukraine and Russia. Last week, both countries met in Istanbul in their first direct negotiations since 2022.

Pope León XIV has expressed his intention to actively contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and the Vatican continues its humanitarian efforts, including facilitating prisoner exchanges and the reunification of Ukrainian children transferred to Russia.

Additionally, after the pontiff's inaugural mass, Vance held meetings with leaders such as Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The latter later held a call with Trump and other European leaders to coordinate positions before the anticipated conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is worth noting that, before being elected Pope, León XIV, then Cardinal Robert Prevost, had publicly criticized some of the Trump administration's immigration policies.

However, during Monday's meeting, the atmosphere was cordial and relaxed. Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, expressed his pride in the first American Pope and highlighted the enthusiasm his election has caused in the United States.