US vice president meets with Pope’s secretary of state

On Holy Saturday, April 19, the vice president of the United States met with the Pope's secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Previous to being named secretary of state in 2013, the cardinal served as the papal representative in Venezuela (from 2009).

The Holy See's statement on the meeting is below.

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This morning, Saturday 19 April 2025, the Honorable James David Vance, Vice President of the United States of America, was received at the Secretariat of State by His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

During the cordial talks, satisfaction was expressed for the good existing bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America, and the common commitment to protect the right to freedom of religion and conscience was reiterated. There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

Finally, hope was expressed for serene collaboration between the State and the Catholic Church in the United States, whose valuable service to the most vulnerable people was acknowledged.

From the Vatican, 19 April 2025

In an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica, published on the eve of JD Vance's arrival in Rome, Cardinal Parolin said he found the approach of the new American administration "very different from what we are used to and, especially in the West, from what we have relied on for many years."

He warned against the risk of acting "too quickly" and advocated a "multilateral approach," taking into account international law and consensus between states.