Vance, Rubio to attend Pope Leo XIV inauguration at Vatican

Leo is the first American pope who was elected by a conclave last week.

Published: May 15, 2025 1:39pm

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend an inaugural mass Sunday at the Vatican for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass in Vatican City over the weekend, according to the White House.

In the White House on Thursday announcing their attendance, officials said second lady Usha Vance will also attend the event in Rome. The mass is similar to a monarch's coronation.

Leo is the Catholic Church's first pope from the United States. He was elected last week by a group of fellow cardinals from around the world. Leo was born Robert Prevost and is originally from Chicago.

Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019 and congratulated Leo shortly after he was selected.

"Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election!" he wrote on the social media platform X. "I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!"

Leo's successor, Pope Francis, died last month from a cerebral stroke that led to a coma, then heart failure. He was 88 years old.