Overview

• Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with their spouses, will lead the U.S. delegation to Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass in Vatican City this weekend.
• Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, is the first American-born pope, a significant moment for the Catholic Church and U.S. Catholics.
• The mass, scheduled for Sunday in Saint Peter’s Square, will formally install Pope Leo XIV, who was elected by the conclave last week.
• While the U.S. delegation's attendance is confirmed, it remains uncertain whether Vance and Rubio will meet privately with the new pope during their visit.
• Pope Leo XIV previously criticized Vance’s interpretation of Catholic doctrine, highlighting theological differences between the two leaders.