Washington, DC: According to a statement from the White House, US Vice President JD Vance will lead a delegation to Vatican City to attend Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass on May 18, making him the first American-born pope.
Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance will be accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Rubio.
Pope Leo XIV was the first American Pope. According to the White House, Vice President Vance is the first Catholic convert to hold the position.
Earlier, Pope Leo XIV praised the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, adding that he hoped the planned talks would result in a lasting peace agreement between the two countries.
I am glad by the news of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, and I hope that a long-term settlement will be achieved through planned talks, according to Pope Leo XIV in a tweet on X.
He also begged for peace throughout the world, notably mentioning the battles in Gaza and Ukraine, in his first Sunday speech on May 11.
Pope Leo XIV expressed his sympathy for the suffering of the beloved Ukrainian people, calling for a real, just, and lasting peace as soon as possible in Ukraine.
He also demanded the release of captives and the reunion of children with their families.
May all detainees be released, and may the children return to their families, he pleaded.
Regarding the Gaza Strip, the Pope expressed deep sorrow at the continuing violence and urged for a rapid ceasefire.
I am extremely concerned about the situation in the Gaza Strip. Cease shooting immediately! He demanded that humanitarian aid be given to the weary civilian people and that all captives be released.
Pope Leo, born Robert Prevost in Chicago, was elected last week, making him the first American Pope. According to CNN, the announcement surprised and delighted many Catholics throughout the Americas.
The new pontiff told cardinals in his first formal encounter with them, which began with a standing ovation, that he chose his papal name to carry on Pope Leo XIII's legacy of addressing the social problem in the context of the first major industrial revolution.
Pope Leo XIII headed the Roman Catholic Church from 1878 until his death in 1903 and is remembered as the Pope of Catholic social teaching. In 1891, he wrote a renowned open letter to all Catholics, titled Rerum Novarum (Of Revolutionary Change), which reflected on the devastation that the Industrial Revolution had caused in workers' lives.
