Staff – April 22, 2025

Social Media Missteps: Downplaying JD Vance’s Historic Meeting with Pope Francis

On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Francis at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, a private encounter that would tragically become the pontiff’s final meeting before his death the following morning at age 88. Despite the significance of this moment—Vance being the only individual scheduled to meet Francis that day—posts on X and other social media platforms have downplayed the event, prompting criticism amid the global mourning of the beloved pope.

The Vatican confirmed that the brief meeting, lasting just minutes, was a cordial exchange of Easter greetings, with Francis gifting Vance three chocolate Easter eggs for his children, a Vatican tie, and rosaries. “I know you have not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance told the ailing pontiff, who was recovering from double pneumonia. “I pray for you every day. God bless you,” he added, as captured by Vatican Media.

Yet, some social media narratives have distorted this encounter. Posts on X claimed that Francis “snubbed” Vance, suggesting he delegated the meeting to his No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who had met Vance the previous day for broader talks on migration and international conflicts. Others emphasized the brevity of the Sunday meeting, framing it as insignificant. One X user wrote, “Pope Francis skipped Vance’s visit and sent his deputy to lecture him on compassion,” falsely implying no direct meeting occurred. These claims overlook the Vatican’s statement that Vance was the sole person on Francis’ schedule for Easter Sunday, a remarkable gesture given the pope’s fragile health and limited engagements.

The reality is starkly different. Francis, despite his 38-day hospitalization and inability to lead major Easter services, chose to meet Vance personally, underscoring the diplomatic weight of the encounter. The two had publicly disagreed over the Trump administration’s immigration policies, with Francis calling mass deportations a “disgrace” and refuting Vance’s use of the Catholic concept of ordo amoris to justify them. Yet, the Easter meeting was a moment of reconciliation, with Vance expressing gratitude and prayers for the pontiff’s health.

Social media’s rush to trivialize this event has drawn ire, especially as it coincides with Francis’ passing. “People that post lies should be banned from X for spreading propaganda,” one user fumed, pointing to photographic and video evidence of the meeting. Another decried “unhinged” detractors linking Vance’s visit to Francis’ death, calling such speculation “despicable.” The timing of these posts—hours after the Vatican announced Francis’ death from a pulmonary embolism—has amplified their insensitivity.

Democratic detractors and internet trolls have seized on the narrative to score political points, ignoring the gravity of Vance being the last leader to meet Francis. “Vance actually met with the Pontiff, and had videos and pictures taken,” one X user countered, debunking claims of a snub. The meeting’s brevity, a necessity due to Francis’ condition, does not diminish its significance as a final act of the pope’s diplomacy.

As the Catholic Church prepares for a conclave to elect a new pope, this episode highlights the perils of social media misinformation. Downplaying Vance’s meeting with Francis disrespects the pontiff’s legacy and fuels division at a time for reflection. The Vatican’s record is clear: on Easter Sunday, JD Vance was the only name on Pope Francis’ schedule, marking a poignant footnote in the history of a transformative papacy.