People think Pope Leo made ‘hilarious’ gesture to shoo JD Vance and his wife away at inauguration

Pope Leo XIV’s reaction when meeting US vice-president JD Vance after his inauguration has been branded as ‘hilarious’, with others criticising the politician for performing an ‘inappropriate’ gesture during the event.

On May 8, Pope Leo XIV was declared pontiff and head of the Roman Catholic Church following a two-day papal conclave, conducted inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.

Pope Leo, who serves as Pope Francis’s elected successor, was officially hailed as pontiff at a mass at St Peter's Square yesterday (May 18).

During the celebratory event, a cardinal gave him the Ring of the Fisherman, symbolising his papal authority, and the pallium, a white garment traditionally worn by popes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Vance, his wife and second lady of the United States, Usha Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were some of the famous faces attending the historic inauguration.

Previously, the Chicago-born Pope has called out and criticised both 40-year-old Vance and Republican President Donald Trump.

In one instance, the 69-year-old branded the former as being ‘wrong’ for making comments about a ‘Christian concept’.

Meanwhile, Vance has previously said: "I’m sure [Pope Leo] he’s going to say a lot of things that I love. I’m sure he’ll say some things that I disagree with, but I’ll continue to pray for him and the Church despite it all and through it all,” as per The Independent.

Despite the pair issuing subsequent statements against each other, both Vance and Pope Leo cordially shook each other’s hands at the latter’s inauguration over the weekend.

The 17-second interaction took place in the procession line after the mass, and it saw the head of the Catholic Church briefly acknowledging both the Marine Corps veteran and his wife.

After grasping his hand, Vance touched the pope’s arm before moving on - a move described as ‘overly familiar and inappropriate' by some social media users.

"J.D. Vance embarrassed himself again at the Vatican when he attempted to pat Pope Leo XIV on the shoulder like a drinking buddy in St. Peter's Basilica after the papal inauguration mass,” wrote one.

However, another eagle-eyed viewer claims Pope Leo ‘shooed’ Vance and his spouse away with a subtle hand gesture.

They shared a clip, taken from Vatican Media, and commented: “The way Pope Leo XIV just shooed JD Vance and his wife away with a single hand gesture telling them to move along is hilarious.”

In response, a second X user replied: “That hand gesture said it all—’Not today, JD!’ Pope Leo XIV’s subtle shade game is next level!"

“Bro we JUST lost the last one what is JD doing there,” a second wrote.

Another commented: “Oh nooooo he touched him.”

However, others have disagreed, claiming he didn’t make a ‘shooing’ gesture towards the famous pair at all.

“Looks like he shook his hand… that's not ‘shooing him away’,” typed one user.

“It is sad and petty that that is what you see,” responded someone else.

Vance’s latest appearance in the Vatican comes a month after travelling to Rome to meet with Pope Francis, who died on April 21, aged 88.

It’s alleged he broke protocol while visiting the Sistine Chapel on Easter Monday (April 21) by taking photos inside the holy site.

It’s understood that photography and filming are completely banned within the Sistine Chapel to preserve and stop the restored artwork from becoming damaged.

The official website for Vatican Museums, the organisation that oversees tourism to the religious structure, writes: “In the Sistine Chapel it is forbidden to take photographs or films with any type of electronic equipment.”

“It is permitted to take photographs, for personal and domestic use only, of the works in all areas of the Vatican Museums, apart from the Sistine Chapel. Flash photography is strictly forbidden.”