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US Vice President JD Vance met with top Vatican officials on Saturday to exchange views on issues concerning migrants, refugees, and prisoners.
The meeting comes after months of tension between the administration of US President Donald Trump and American church leaders over immigration policies. Vance, a Catholic, has been visiting Rome with his family over the Easter weekend and attended a Good Friday service in St Peter's Basilica. During his visit, he held talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States. Saturday's meeting marked the first in-person talks between the Holy See and the Trump administration during its second term. According to a Vatican communique released after the meeting, "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." The Vatican statement released following the meeting with Vance on Saturday said that during the talks, "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." Despite any tensions, the Vatican is accustomed to engaging with leaders with whom it disagrees. The statement noted that "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, were reiterated." Following his visit, Vance shared a post on the social media platform X, wishing Christians around the world a blessed Good Friday. "I'm grateful every day for this job, but particularly today, where my official duties have brought me to Rome on Good Friday. I had a great meeting with Prime Minister Meloni and her team, and will head to church soon with my family in this beautiful city," the post read. "I wish all Christians all over the world, but particularly those back home in the US, a blessed Good Friday," it added. (ANI)
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