JD Vance explains why meeting Pope Francis hours before his death was 'a sign from God'
EXCLUSIVE: Washington, D.C. — Vice President JD Vance reflected on his meeting with Pope Francis, just hours before the Holy Father passed away, telling Fox News Digital it was a "great honor" and a "sign from God" to cherish life.
Vance sat for an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
The vice president told Fox News Digital that he met Pope Francis on Easter Sunday but "didn't plan to see the Holy Father because he was ill."
"But we were invited to come and visit with him before he went and did his Easter mass appearance," Vance explained.
"I was one of, if not the very last world leader to actually meet with the pope," Vance said. "I took one of my relatively junior staffers, who is a devout Catholic, and I looked back at him when he was about to meet the pope, and he was crying—it sort of drives home how important this, not just this man, but this institution is to over a billion people worldwide."
"There are 1.5 billion practicing Catholics in the world, so that was a very big moment," Vance said.
Vance told Fox News Digital that he had a "very gracious meeting" with the pope on Easter Sunday.
"The pope was very kind—he was obviously very frail," Vance said. "We didn't spend a lot of time together. It was mostly exchanging pleasantries, but he gave a few gifts—he gave my kids Easter baskets, and there was just this very sweet moment."
During the meeting, the pope gave the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance's three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.
"I definitely cherish it," Vance said.
Following their meeting, the vice president went to Easter Sunday Mass in Rome at the Tomb of St. Paul with his family, before getting on a plane to India.
"I was very excited about that trip—my wife's parents are from India and I'd never been there," said Vance. "And about an hour after we landed, a staffer came over and said, 'Sir, the pope died.'"
"I obviously felt very sad, and my thought went immediately to the pope, but also to all these Catholics who love him," Vance said.
"But then it kind of hit me—oh my God—I was one of the last people to talk to him," Vance said. "I just take it as a great honor and a sign from God to remember that you never know when your last day on this Earth is."
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