Vice President JD Vance will lead an American delegation that will participate in the inaugural service of Pope Leon XIV, the first American pontiff, although he was critical of President Donald Trump and before taking over the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski would also intend to attend the Vatican event on Sunday, reports News.ro.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, like JD Vance, is a Catholic, will join the US Vice-President, Vance's office said on Thursday.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, originally from Chicago, was chosen by the Catholic cardinals a week ago to succeed Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88.
While he was Cardinal, the current Pope Leon had several posts on X showing his disapproval in the policies of Republican leaders, especially reflecting his concern about immigrants. The Vatican did not confirm or denied that the respective posts are authentic.
The white house officials did not comment on the criticisms.
Vance, who came into conflict with Pope Francis on Trump administration policies, has shortly met with the last Pontiff on Easter Sunday, the day before he was dying.
Pope Francis was a defender of the poor and immigrants who also criticized the Trump administration. Vance minimized these differences after his meeting with Francis, but they were substantial. Francis had called Trump's plan to deport millions of immigrants as a “shame.”
In February, Cardinal Prevost reposted an article entitled: “Jd Vance is wrong: Jesus does not ask us to classify our love for others.”
After the Pope was chosen, Prevost's critical posts triggered a reaction from Trump's most focused conservative supporters, including activist Laura Loomer, who wrote on X: “It is anti-trumpy, anti-Maga, Open Pro-Border and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.”
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, said last week that it is certain that millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for Pope Leon's success.
Zelenski could also come to the inaugural service of Pope Leon XIV
And Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski intends to participate in Pope Leon on Sunday, if war commitments allow, a high -ranking presidential counselor told Reuters.
In a telephone interview in Kiev, Zelenski's cabinet, Andrii Iermak, said that the Ukrainian president would be willing to discuss with any other world leaders in the margin of the inauguration. He added that the new Pontiff told Zelenski, in a telephone conversation on Monday, that he is ready to facilitate such meetings and promised to “do everything possible” to contribute to the establishment of a fair and sustainable peace.
Pope Leon will be officially installed as the new leader of the 1.4 billion Roman Catholics in a job that will take place on Sunday in Saint Peter Square. Numerous world leaders are expected to participate.
“He (Zelenski) intends to come, but you know that before (on Sunday) we have other very important meetings,” Jermak said, referring to possible peace discussions in Turkey. “Of course, during the war it is difficult to be sure, but I know it will be happy to be in Rome this day,” he added.
Zelenski and US President Donald Trump met in St. Peter's basil in the funeral of Pope Franc on April 26, where they talked about air defense systems and sanctions against Russia.
“It is a wonderful place for such meetings. The meeting with Trump was the confirmation of this,” Iermak said. Experts say that they found a change of attitude of Trump towards Putin after this meeting with Zelenski at the Vatican, given that, when he received at the White House, the two leaders and Vicepes Place were arguing and contradicted with the journalists, in a scene that shocked the world.
Jermak said that during the phone call Monday with Zelenski, the Pope was “very hot talking about Ukraine. He said he was ready to do everything possible to get a fair and sustainable peace.” Also, the Pope's reaction to Zelenski's invitation to visit Ukraine was “very, very positive”, but that no commitment was made.
