Pope Francis meets US Vice President JD Vance for a ‘few minutes’ on Easter Sunday at Vatican

Pope Francis on Sunday had a brief private meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, the Vatican said in a statement.

“Pope Francis had a brief private encounter ... lasting a few minutes, in order to exchange good wishes on Easter day,” the Vatican statement said.

The meeting with JD Vance came ahead of the Pope's appearance for Easter Sunday.

Vance is is Italy with his family at the moment. His office issued a brief statement confirming the meeting, but offered no further details.

Video footage showed Francis in his wheelchair shaking hands with the vice president and his wife.

The vice president, who has been visiting Italy with his family this weekend, met senior Vatican officials for more formal talks on Saturday. The Pope, who is recovering from double pneumonia, did not take part in those discussions.

Pope Francis' clash with Donald Trump

Their meetings came months after a spat between Pope Francis and the administration of US President Donald Trump over its anti-migrant policies.

The Pope and Vatican officials have criticised several of the policies of President Donald Trump's administration, including his plans to deport millions of migrants from the US and his widespread cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programmes.

Pope Francis has called the immigration crackdown a “disgrace”.

Vance, who became Catholic in 2019, has cited medieval-era Catholic teaching to justify the policy.

The pope rebutted the theological concept Vance used to defend the crackdown in an unusual open letter to the US Catholic bishops about the Trump administration in February, and called Trump's plan a "major crisis" for the United States.

Pope Francis greets on Easter

Pope Francis on Sunday delivered his Easter message from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to thousands of people gathered in Vatican Square.

The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was recently discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment for an infection that led to double pneumonia.

On Easter Sunday he was able to offer the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the "City [of Rome] and to the World". Only the pope can offer this blessing which includes the offer of an indulgence, a remission for the effect of sins.

Pope Francis dedicated his Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and for the release of prisoners.

(With inputs from agencies)