JD Vance, the vice-president of the United States, met with Pope Leo XIV yesterday (18 May), during which he bestowed the newly-implemented pontiff with a rather obscure token of appreciation.
Joined in the Vatican by wife Usha, as well as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several other political leaders, 40-year-old Vance was seen in official photographs shaking the hands of the former cardinal Robert Prevost.
The group also witnessed the 69-year-old religious icon deliver his inaugural mass in St Peter's Square - an event overlooked by thousands of other attendees who lined the streets of both the Vatican and Rome over the weekend.
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Prevost was elected the new Head of the Catholic Church earlier this month following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Sunday (21 April), after which he announced his official title, Pope Leo.
He also boasts the honour of being the first ever American to attain the position, having been born in Chicago, Illinois - a privilege that didn't go unnoticed by Republican president Donald Trump at the time.
"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope," the 78-year-old President wrote on Truth Social at the time.
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"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.
"I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"
Sadly for Trump, the father-of-five was unable to attend the 'cordial' talks that the Catholic Church's moderate new pope held over the weekend, instead taking part in talks in the Middle East.
His VP, Vance, attended in his place, however, where the politician was seen to be handing Pope Leo a pretty controversial gift.
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The religious icon appeared in photos to be somewhat surprised after Vance presented him with a Chicago Bears American Football jersey, being that he is famously a fan of baseball, and has shown no support of NFL before.
The mishap didn't go unnoticed by many eagle-eyed onlookers, however, many of whom pointed out that a Chicago White Sox - another team from the Windy City - baseball jersey would have been more appropriate.
After one pointed out it was an NFL kit, one social media wrote: "Lol ik he's lifelong baseball fan, the fact that they brought that with no prove of him supporting that team is kind of funny.."
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Another awkwardly added: "He likes the White Sox…"
Despite receiving a jersey from a different sport, the pope looked thrilled when Vance turned it over to see it had both 'Pope Leo' and the number 'XIV' (14th) on the back.
It is somewhat expected, however, that Pope Leo will butt heads with both Trump and Vance in the coming years, having spoken out against their right-wing political beliefs for some time.
Following his election earlier this month, the religious leader was asked by press if he has 'any message for the United States' - a question to which he simply responded: "Many."
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Several years earlier, whilst working as a cardinal, the pope emphasised via social media that his politics certainly don't align Trump's beliefs by re-posted an article titled 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.'
Another comment from around the same time retweeted by Pope Leo asked 'Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed?' in response to Trump's meeting with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, during which the politician spoke of deporting US citizens abroad.
A third instance in 2018 saw the pope retweeting a message originally posted online by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, which read: "There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all."
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, Pope Leo, News, World News
Rhianna Benson