The US delegation honors the first American-born pope to lead the Catholic Church.
According to a statement from the White House, his wife, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will join his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance and Janet Rubio, leading the US delegation to the Vatican on May 18th.
Officials pointed to the importance of the event, saying Leo XIV was the first American-born pope in the 2,000-year history of the Roman Catholic Church and the first Catholic convert to serve as vice president.
Joe Biden was the first Catholic vice president of the United States.
The first Mass is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and high-ranking officials, and is set to formally set up Leo XIV as Pope 267th.
Traditions include the awarding of the fisherman’s ring and the pallium, a symbol of his authority.
The ceremony begins at the Roman period at 10am and features processions, chants of “Praise Resiae” and visits to the tomb of St. Peter, and a continuing custom of blending ancient rituals with modern global attention.
The event, which is set to unfold at St. Peter’s Square, marks the milestones of American Catholicism and a nuanced intersection of faith, politics and international relations, taking into account the new Pope’s past criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
As Cardinal Robert Prevast, he shares an article on social media platform X, criticizing Vance’s interpretation of the Bible, justifying immigration crackdowns, including the title “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
In 2018, he condemned policies separating immigrant children from their parents as “morally vulnerable.”
These posts are just as recent as in April this year, suggesting Pope Leo XIV’s Pope Francis continues to develop afoot on social justice, potentially complicating his relationship with the Trump administration.
The Pope then deleted his account.
The presence of the US delegation underscores the historical nature of the May 8 election of Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago-born clergyman.
His ascension followed the death of Pope Francis on April 21 due to complications related to dual pneumonia.
For Vance, the trip is a return to the Vatican on Easter Sunday, April 20th, a day before the Pope’s death, weeks after a brief heartbreaking meeting with Pope Francis.
Vance said he tried to downplay the ideological division and warned other media in a recent interview that he would watch the Catholic Church through the lens of American politics.
Catholic Rubio attendees add another layer of diplomatic nuance to represent the regime’s foreign policy that has sometimes clashed with Vatican priorities related to immigration and international aid.
The presence of both US officials shows their intention to maintain a relationship with the Holy See, even in different views.
For American Catholics, the event is a moment of pride and reflection, and for the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, it is an opportunity to hear their new leader deliver his first Mass as Pope.
Leo XIV, who spent decades as a missionary in Peru and led the Vatican Dicaster for Bishops, embodies the bridge between the United States and the world’s churches.
His name choice, evoking Leo XIII, a 19th-century pope known for his advocacy of social justice, suggests a pope focused on marginalized people.
As Vance and Rubio join the world leaders of St. Peter’s Square, Mass serves as a celebration of this historic Pope and as a test of how faith and politics can coexist in a polarized world.
The inauguration comes as the Vatican faces challenges, ranging from budget shortages to inclusiveness and the role of women in the church.
For Vance and Rubio, this visit is an opportunity to witness a new chapter in Catholicism led by Americans, who are voiced far beyond Rome.
While the world sees, the dance of diplomacy and doctrine unfolds under the dome of St. Peter, where history and hope converge.
