JD Vance meets with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday

The 88-year-old pope, still recovering from a near-fatal case of double pneumonia, welcomed Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he resides. During the brief encounter, Francis presented the vice president with several chocolate Easter eggs for his children, who were not present.

“I know you have not been feeling great but it’s good to see you in better health,” said Vance, a Catholic convert, according to the Associated Press. “Thank you for seeing me.

Vance’s office stated the vice president “expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family.”

“I pray for you every day,” Vance also told Francis. “God bless you.”

While in Rome, Vance and his family attended Easter Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and visited the tomb of the apostle St. Paul.

The visit comes amid ongoing friction between the Vatican and the Trump administration, particularly regarding immigration. In February, Pope Francis criticized the administration’s mass deportation initiatives. He also appeared to respond to Vance’s earlier public remarks in which the vice president cited Catholic doctrine in defense of immigration enforcement. Vance acknowledged the pope’s criticism but has stood by the administration’s position on deporting individuals who are in the US illegally.

On Saturday, Vance also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s foreign minister. According to Vance’s office, the VP and Parolin “discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trump’s commitment to restoring world peace.” The Vatican noted that the talks included an “exchange of opinions” on the topic of immigration.