The White House announced on Thursday that Vice President JD Vance will head the U.S. delegation attending the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff in history to hail from the United States.
Vance, who embraced Catholicism in 2019, will attend Sunday’s ceremony at the Vatican alongside his wife, Usha Vance, a practicing Hindu, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a fellow Catholic.
The newly elected Pope, formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, was born in Chicago.
His selection by the College of Cardinals last week came as a surprise to many, marking a historic moment for the 1.4 billion members of the global Catholic Church.
Before his elevation, Leo XIV had been openly critical of former President Donald Trump’s administration, particularly its tone and immigration policies. Despite this, both Trump and Vance expressed support for his appointment.
“Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!” Vance shared in a post on X following the announcement.
Notably, Vance had recently visited the Vatican, where he met Pope Francis just a day before the pontiff’s passing on April 21 at the age of 88.