Ancil
JD Vance has come under fire for seemingly making yet another “inappropriate” mistake during his encounter with the pope.
Just last month, the US vice president angered many Catholics by disobeying a significant rule while on holy grounds, suggesting that he is not well-versed in Vatican etiquette.
Vance appears to have breached procedure once more, this time during a meeting with Leo XIV, the newly appointed pope and head of the Roman Catholic Church, on Thursday, May 8.
Shortly after his election, old retweets from Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago and is the first American to hold the prestigious position, reappeared, indicating that he isn’t exactly a fervent Republican.
Indeed, throughout both his first and second terms, the 69-year-old wrote dozens of statements criticizing President Donald Trump’s policies, primarily focusing on immigration and the US’s treatment of refugees.
Pope Leo even shared an article in one occasion criticizing JD Vance for being “wrong” about remarks he had made regarding a “Christian concept.”
Reacting to the apparent criticism, the Catholic convert said he tries ‘not to play the politicization of the Pope game’, as per The Independent, and also said on a radio show: “I?m sure [Pope Leo] he’s going to say a lot of things that I love. I’m sure he’ll say some things that I disagree with, but I’ll continue to pray for him and the Church despite it all and through it all.”
In light of this, you may have expected a chilly encounter when the two met on Sunday, May 18, but it seemed like Vance actually became a bit too friendly with the new pope.
Following a polite handshake and a few brief remarks, Vance extended his arm to give Pope Leo a gentle pat on the elbow. Many have remarked that this action suggests Vance is extending a greeting to an old frat mate.
Since then, many of people have expressed their outrage on social media, calling the apparent “disrespect” “overly familiar and inappropriate.”
Another person compared it to “patting a puppy’s head before moving along” and thought it appeared “almost condescending.”
Another stated that “J.D. Vance embarrassed himself again at the Vatican when he attempted to pat Pope Leo XIV on the shoulder like a drinking buddy in St. Peter’s Basilica after the papal inauguration mass.”
Like when you meet royalty, there are a few guidelines to follow when you meet the pope, according to MetroWest.
Conservative attire is preferred, which includes a suit and tie combo for men and a knee-length dress or skirt for women, or a suit.
Additionally, you are supposed to stand and wait to meet the pope; you are only supposed to speak when addressed with “Your Holiness.”
Lastly, the regulations prohibit touching the pope unless specifically invited, including kissing his papal ring or shaking his hand.
“Why on earth @JDVance is touching the Pope by his shoulder? It’s an awful breach of protocol,” said another. “His manners are beyond awful.”
The incident follows Vance’s alleged violation of Vatican procedure when he visited the Sistine Chapel, the site of the papal conclave’s private election sessions and the site of Michelangelo’s renowned, expansive religious painting depicting nine scenes from the Book of Genesis.
In April, he went to the monument to see the late Pope Francis, who passed away from a stroke a few hours later at the age of 88.
Since photography and mobile devices are strictly forbidden within the Sistine Chapel, Vance was accused of “basically giving God the finger” after he shared pictures taken there.
