Azernews.Az

US Vice President JD Vance held meetings on Saturday with senior Vatican officials, including Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister. The discussions took place against a backdrop of ongoing tensions regarding US immigration policies, international conflicts, and human rights issues involving prisoners.

According to a statement from Vance’s office, the vice president and Parolin shared reflections on their Catholic faith, the role of Catholicism in the United States, the global persecution of Christian communities, and former President Trump’s commitment to fostering global peace.

The Vatican characterized the talks as cordial and constructive, noting a shared exchange of views on global affairs, especially migration, refugee movements, and the treatment of prisoners. The Holy See also reiterated its support for religious freedom and called for a calm and cooperative relationship between religious institutions and government.

The meeting came after months of visible tension between Vance, a Catholic convert since 2019, and Pope Francis, particularly over US immigration policies. In a notable exchange in February, the Pope publicly disagreed with Vance’s reference to the theological concept ordo amoris (the “right order of love”) to support mass deportation. Pope Francis responded that true love, as taught by Christian doctrine, embraces universal fraternity without exclusion.

During his Easter visit to Rome, Vance also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and participated in Good Friday services at St. Peter’s Basilica. He and the Pope shared a brief meeting afterward to exchange Easter greetings.