(LifeSiteNews) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance plans to visit Rome during Easter weekend, according to Bloomberg News, although his itinerary is not yet known.
According of his most recent schedule, Vance will be arriving in Rome on Good Friday, April 18, and remaining until Easter Sunday, April 20. U.S. diplomats are reportedly seeking to arrange a meeting between Vance and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Meloni has recently defended Vance’s scathing criticism of European leaders, given at the February Munich Security Conference in Germany. In this bombshell speech, Vance condemned various countries for attacking the religious, conscience, and free speech rights of its citizens. He also rebuked European nations for failing to stem illegal immigration.
Italy’s prime minister told the Financial Times last week that Vance was addressing Europe’s “ruling class.” “I have to say I agree (with Vance),” Meloni said. “I’ve been saying this for years … Europe has a bit lost itself.”
It is unclear whether Vance, a convert to Catholicism, plans to visit the Vatican during his stay. As of Monday, it was reported that Pope Francis is not receiving visitors or holding meetings “of any kind” while recovering from a respiratory infection and double pneumonia.
After Francis’ criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, Vance said during his speech at the 20th annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, “While yes, I was certainly surprised when (Francis) criticized our immigration policy and in the way that he has.”
“I also know that the pope, I believe that the pope, is fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians under his leadership,” said Vance, who later went on to quote a portion of the homily that Francis gave at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
