VP J.D. Vance Reflects on Personal Meeting With Pope Before His Death

U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, who represents Ohio, shared a personal tribute after the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The two met in Rome just one day before the former pope passed away.

Vance, a Cincinnati native, posted a photo and statement on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend. He said meeting Pope Benedict was “an extraordinary blessing.” The meeting took place on December 30, 2022. The pope died the following day at age 95.

In his post, Vance praised Benedict as a man of “tremendous learning and humility.” He added that the former pope had “a powerful presence” that stayed with him.

Vance converted to Catholicism as an adult and has often spoken about the role faith plays in his life and politics. During his visit to Italy, Vance met with Catholic leaders and discussed global religious issues, including Christian persecution.

Although Pope Benedict stepped down from his role in 2013, many in Ohio’s Catholic community continued to follow him and his writings. Cleveland has one of the largest Catholic populations in the country, with deep ties to the Vatican and papal history.

Local religious leaders in Cleveland also offered condolences after the pope’s passing.

Vance closed his message by saying he would “treasure the memory” of their meeting forever.

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VP J.D. Vance Reflects on Personal Meeting With Pope Before His Death  was originally published on ronenewstalkcleveland.staging.go.ione.nyc