2 weeks Ago By People
J.D. Vance is paying his respects to Pope Francis.
On Monday, April 21, the U.S. Vice President, 40, shared a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) following the announcement of the pope’s death at the age of 88 on Easter Monday.
“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance wrote in his post. He added, “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.
But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.” Related: King Charles and Queen Camilla Meet with Pope Francis After Canceled Plans: See the Photo! “May God rest his soul,” Vance concluded.
The day before his death, the Pope met with Vance and delivered his yearly address for Easter. According to British newspaper The Guardian , Vance met with the pope at his residence at the Vatican hotel. Francis also reportedly offered the vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance’s three children, who were not present, as well as 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 Pope, per The Guardian . “Thank you for seeing me.” Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Related: Pope Francis’ Doctors Worried After Breathing Crisis and Considered Stopping Treatment to 'Let Him Go' Meanwhile, the head of the Catholic Church and leader of the world's approximately 1.3 billion Catholics had suffered from multiple health issues over the years. He was discharged from the hospital in March after being treated for double pneumonia.
This came after a 38-day stay in hospital, where he was initially admitted for bronchitis. Vatican News confirmed his death in a post on X on April 21. "Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta,” the statement read.
In a release posted by the Vatican, Cardinal Farrell also said, "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 a.m.
this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church." "He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized," the statement continued.
"With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God." Read the original article on People.
