U. S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of U. S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Trump Invites Pope Leo to Visit White House

Vance, whose hardline immigration stance has drawn past criticism from Leo, invited the US-born pontiff to visit the US.

Vance’s meeting with Francis at the Vatican less than 24 hours before the latter’s death also sparked criticism from social media users, who made joke memes claiming that the Catholic leader’s death was caused by the vice president’s visit.