Pope Francis appeared at Easter Mass and St. Peter’s Square on Sunday morning after a brief meeting with Vice President Vance.
“Pope Francis had a short private encounter that lasted several minutes to exchange good wishes on Easter Day,” the Vatican said. statement.
Vance, a Catholic, clashed with Pope Francis over the Trump administration’s immigration policy. He met with Francis at the Vatican and exchanged greetings on Easter Sunday.
“It was an honor to visit the Vatican during Holy Week, and it was a blessing to experience the beauty and respect of the Good Friday liturgy at St. Peter’s Cathedral,” Vance said. Online post on Saturday.
The brief meeting between Vance and Francis followed a meeting with Vatican No. 2 amid tensions over the US immigration lawsuit, the Associated Press reported.
The Vice President’s Office said he and Cardinal Pietro Parolin discussed their shared faith and Catholicism in the United States, “a light letter of persecuted Christian communities around the world and President Trump’s commitment to restoring world peace.”
Francis responded with caution to the Trump administration, but despite his voice in concerns about immigration and cuts to international aid, he tried to continue the productive conversation.
The Vatican statement said there was a “exchange of opinions on the international situation” during its meeting with Vance, and that “hope has been expressed” for the Catholic Church and the US collaboration.
Francis’ conference and public appearances likely were short due to his continued health issues. He has only appeared in public a few times since returning to the Vatican last month.
The 88-year-old Pope was hospitalized in mid-February with life-threatening double pneumonia and was in the hospital for five weeks.
He did not celebrate Easter Mass at St. Peters Square, but he appeared on the balcony at the entrance to the balcony for over 20 minutes, giving the apostles blessings in Latin. The AP reported that it had reported it.
