Washington, DC [US], May 16 (ANI): US Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by Second Lady Usha Vance, will lead the American delegation to Vatican City for the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV on May 18, the White House announced. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Rubio will also join the delegation.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost in Chicago, recently became the first US-born Pope. His election has been widely celebrated among Catholics across the Americas. Vice President Vance, who is the first Catholic convert to hold the office of Vice President, will represent the United States at the ceremony.
The new Pope has already made headlines by welcoming the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, expressing hope that upcoming negotiations would result in a lasting peace agreement. In his first Sunday address on May 11, he also called for peace in global conflicts, specifically mentioning Ukraine and Gaza.
Expressing concern for Ukraine, Pope Leo XIV urged for an “authentic, just, and lasting peace” and advocated for the release of prisoners and the reunification of displaced children with their families. Addressing the ongoing violence in Gaza, he called for an immediate ceasefire and emphasized the need for humanitarian aid for the civilian population.
Reflecting on his choice of papal name, Pope Leo XIV stated he was inspired by Pope Leo XIII, who was known for his social teachings during the industrial revolution. Pope Leo XIII, who led the Roman Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903, is renowned for his encyclical “Rerum Novarum” (“Of Revolutionary Change”), which addressed workers’ rights and social justice. (ANI)
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