JD Vance mourns Pope Francis’s passing, says ’was happy to see him yesterday’

US Vice President JD Vance mourned the passing of Pope Francis on Monday, just a day after the pontiff met him for a ‘few minutes’ during Easter Sunday celebrations at the Vatican. Following the visit, Vance and his family departed for India.

"I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.

I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.

May God rest his soul," JD Vance posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Pope Francis passes away at 88

Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American, first Jesuit in modern papal history, breathed his last on Monday, April 21. The Vatican confirmed the death in its latest statement.

Pope Francis, who had a history of chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed in his youth, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on February 14 this year following a respiratory crisis that progressed into double pneumonia. He remained hospitalised for 38 days—the longest stay of his 12-year papacy—reported AP.

JD Vance and Pope Francis met each other for a ‘few minutes’ on Sunday, April 20, during the Easter celebrations at the Vatican.

Pope Francis met JD Vance for a ‘few minutes’

Pope Francis held a brief private meeting with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday, the Vatican confirmed.

“Pope Francis had a brief private encounter ... lasting a few minutes, in order to exchange good wishes on Easter day,” the Vatican statement said.

The meeting with JD Vance came ahead of the Pope's appearance for Easter Sunday.

Pope Francis's Easter message

Pope Francis on Sunday delivered his Easter message from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to thousands of people gathered in Vatican Square.

The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was recently discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment double pneumonia. Pope Francis eventually breathed his last on Monday, April 21, marking an end to 12 years of his papacy.

PM Narendra Modi mourns Pope Francis' death

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mourned the death of Pope Francis. PM Modi posted on X, that he was “deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” and that “he will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.”

Pope Francis burial

Pope Francis will not be buried underneath St Peter’s Basilica.

In 2022, the 88-year-old pontiff expressed his wish to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, unlike his predecessors, who have traditionally been buried at the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, as per Reuters.