Vance meeting was one of Pope Francis' final acts
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Pope Francis meets with Vice President Vance at Casa Santa Marta. Photo: Vatican Media via Getty
Pope Francis' meeting with Vice President Vance on Easter Sunday appears to have been one of his final engagements before he died Monday at the age of 88.
The big picture: The brief meeting took place despite a recent public rift between the two. Francis had criticized the Trump administration's deportation agenda and appeared to take issue with Vance's use of Catholic doctrine to defend it.
How it happened: Vance sat with the pope for a few minutes at around 11:30am on Sunday at Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where Francis lived. The meeting was not announced ahead of time.
- Francis gifted Vance a Vatican tie, large chocolate easter eggs for his three children, and rosaries for him and members of his family.
- Vance told the pontiff "I pray for you every day."
- The meeting took place shortly after Francis delivered the traditional Easter blessing in St. Peter's Square, an appearance that came as a surprise given his poor health.
A day earlier, Vance held a longer meeting with the Vatican's No. 2 official that included discussions of immigration and international affairs.
- "There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners," according to a Vatican statement.
- The Holy See press office did not immediately respond to a question from Axios about whether Pope Francis held any additional events after meeting with Vance.
Zoom out: Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, has said he identifies with the Church's history and tradition.
What he's saying: "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 of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul," Vance posted on X.
Go deeper: Pope Francis' papacy ends: How long the 10 most recent popes reigned
