Vance Visits Vatican Amid Policy Tensions

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is attending Good Friday services at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin during Holy Week. The visit comes amid tensions between the Vatican and the Trump administration over immigration and deportation policies, which Pope Francis has condemned as inconsistent with Catholic values. Vance defended the administration's stance using the concept of 'ordo amoris,' but Pope Francis publicly rebuked his interpretation. This dispute reflects broader divisions between many conservative American Catholics and the Pope's more progressive approach. Although a meeting with Pope Francis was rumored, the pontiff is absent from Holy Week liturgies due to pneumonia and has delegated his duties to other cardinals. Vance also highlighted his optimism about resolving the Russia-Ukraine war and will proceed to India as part of his European trip.