JD Vance has found himself in hot water following his recent trip to Italy which saw him visit the late Pope Francis.
The vice president of the United States jetted to the European country last week and met with a series of notable figures – one of those being Pope Francis, who Vance met with just hours before the his passing.
Pope Francis, who acted at the head of the Catholic Church for over a decade, died on Easter Monday (April 21) and will be laid to rest this Saturday.
Vance, who was baptized in 2019, paid his respects to Pope Francis on social media following his death.
“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis,” he wrote. “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.”
Vance’s tribute continued: “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID.
“It was truly a stunning image. May he rest in peace.”
While the controversial politician’s visit to Vatican City appeared to go smoothly, it has since sparked backlash after a photo of him inside the Sistine Chapel surfaced online.
One admirer shared the image with praise: “An epic shot of Vice President JD Vance and his son in the Sistine Chapel. What an unforgettable way to spend Easter weekend.”
But critics were quick to highlight that photography is strictly forbidden in the historic chapel, a rule intended to protect its priceless art and preserve the sanctity of the space.
One person on Twitter expressed outrage: “For anyone still calling JD a ‘good guy’ really? Taking that photo is basically flipping off God. It’s banned for a reason.”
“I’m not even Catholic, and I know this. You’d think the Vice President would, too,” they added.
“You do not take pictures in the Sistine Chapel. No respect,” one commenter snapped.
Another chimed in, “Photography in the Sistine Chapel is strictly forbidden! Every true Catholic knows this.
“This photo sums up the problem perfectly—rules are for everyone except the American government. It’s absolutely disgraceful.”
And the critics aren’t wrong.
According to the Sistine Chapel’s official guidelines: “Taking pictures and filming videos in the Sistine Chapel is strictly prohibited. It is allowed to take pictures without flash inside the Vatican Museums.”
Vice President Vance isn’t the first to draw ire over this. Celebrities like Russell Crowe and Jason Momoa have also faced backlash for snapping photos inside the sacred, centuries-old chapel.
