By OBSERVERS TIMES
Pope Leo XIV held private audiences with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican on Monday, signaling the Holy See’s active role in international peacemaking.
The meetings occurred in the wake of the newly elected pontiff’s inauguration mass, which drew an estimated 200,000 dignitaries, royals, and faithful to St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican released photographs depicting a cordial atmosphere between Pope Leo XIV and the US officials, highlighting the significance of the discussions. With peace as a central theme of his nascent papacy, the Chicago-born pope, elected on May 8th, was expected to engage Vance and Rubio on the US administration’s efforts to broker an end to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, a war that has destabilized the European continent since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Concurrent to the Vatican meetings, US President Donald Trump was scheduled to hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the coordinated, multi-pronged approach of the US in seeking a resolution to the conflict. The Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, Paul Richard Gallagher, also engaged in “cordial talks” with Vice President Vance, where both parties expressed “satisfaction at the good bilateral relations.” The Vatican further disclosed that the discussions included “an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved.”
The inauguration of Pope Leo XIV served as a focal point for global diplomacy, with numerous world leaders convening to address pressing issues such as the Israeli offensive in Gaza and the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the inauguration mass, held his first private audience with Pope Leo XIV on Sunday. He also engaged in discussions with Vance and Rubio, focusing on “their shared goal of ending the bloodshed in Ukraine,” as stated by the vice president’s office.
Pope Leo XIV has made clear his commitment to peace, offering last week to mediate between warring nations and vowing to “make every effort so that this peace may prevail.” Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the pope’s second-in-command, suggested that the Vatican could serve as a neutral ground for direct negotiations between conflicting parties.
The 45-minute audience between Pope Leo XIV and Vice President Vance was described as productive by the VP’s spokesperson. Despite past criticisms leveled by Leo on social media against the Trump administration’s immigration policies and Vance himself, the vice president emphasized the strong bond between the US and the new pope, stating, “We are very proud of him,” and adding, “our prayers go with him as he starts this very important work.” Both Vance and Rubio are practicing Catholics, adding a layer of religious significance to their visit.
Beyond the immediate concerns of international conflict, the discussions between Vance and Gallagher also touched upon “collaboration between Church and State… as well as some matters of special relevance to ecclesial life and religious freedom,” reflecting the Vatican’s broader engagement with global affairs. Pope Leo XIV, succeeding Pope Francis, faces the formidable task of navigating a polarized Catholic Church, addressing the divide between reformists and conservatives, particularly in the United States, and revitalizing declining church attendance in the Western world.
