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A video of Pope Leo XIV “snubbing” U.S. Vice President JD Vance after his inaugural Mass on Sunday has been widely shared online.
In the footage, Vance and his wife, Usha, approach the first American pontiff and have a brief conversation that lasts around 17 seconds.
Leo shakes hands with Vance and Usha, nodding his head politely before gesturing with his right hand for them to move along.
- Pope Leo XIV had a brief and seemingly dismissive 17-second encounter with U.S. Vice President JD Vance after his inaugural Mass.
- Despite the snub, Vance, his wife Usha, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held 45-minute cordial talks with Leo on Church-State relations.
- Leo condemned hatred and prejudice at his Mass, attended by around 200,000 people.
Vance briefly met with Leo after Sunday’s inaugural Mass
Image credits: Simone Risoluti Vatican Media/Getty Images
Many on social media were quick to comment on the apparent snub, noting that Leo had scheduled meetings with other world leaders but only had a short conversation with Vance.
After the brief encounter, Vance posted several photos of the Mass, captioned: “It was an honor to join so many of the faithful at the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV this morning!”
But some social media users felt that all was not well.
“The way Pope Leo XIV just shooed JD Vance and his wife away with a single hand gesture telling them to move along is hilarious,” one post read.
However, the Vatican confirmed that the pair, joined by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met for “cordial” talks which lasted around 45-minutes on Monday.
“During the cordial talks held at the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was once again expressed at the existing good bilateral relations, and the collaboration between Church and State was discussed, as well as some matters of special relevance to ecclesial life and religious freedom,” a statement from The Holy See press office read.
“Finally, there was an exchange of views on some current international issues, during which hope was expressed that humanitarian law and international law be respected in areas of conflict and that there be a negotiated solution between the parties involved.”
Image credits: Simone Risoluti Vatican Media/Getty Images
It comes after Leo met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife after Mass on Sunday, marking his first engagement with a foreign leader.
At his inaugural Mass, Leo condemned hatred and prejudice. He later turned his attention to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as he noted ceasefire efforts.
“We still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” Leo said.
After Leo was announced as the new pontiff, several social media posts of him criticizing the Trump administration circulated online.
When Leo was known as Robert Prevost, he was highly critical of the Trump administration
Image credits: The White House
While known as Robert Prevost, he reshared several posts criticizing hardline immigration policies.
His most recent re-share was in April, after U.S. President Donald Trump met El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in the White House.
The post reads: “As Trump & Bukele use Oval to Feds’ illicit deportation of a US resident, once an undoc-ed Salvadoran himself, now-DC Aux +Evelio asks, ‘Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?’”
One specifically targeted Vance himself after he used a Christian concept to defend Trump’s immigration policies, ranking who should be loved first.
It was an honor to join so many of the faithful at the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV this morning! pic.twitter.com/Ggz9cBArCg
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) May 18, 2025
He claimed the concept said a person loved their family first, then their neighbor, community, fellow citizens, and finally, the rest of the world.
Prevost shared an article from the National Catholic Reporter, saying Vance was wrong and that “Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
Vance, who converted to the Catholic faith in 2019, met with the late Pope Francis the day before he died on Easter Sunday.
He visited Francis’ tomb after arriving in Rome on Saturday, May 17.
Around 200,000 people and 151 official delegations from around the world attended the inaugural Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.
Well I mean do you blame him? The last pope to meet with Vance died. I'd steer clear of him too.
Well I mean do you blame him? The last pope to meet with Vance died. I'd steer clear of him too.
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