Pope Francis’ Final Acts: Easter Message, Meeting with JD Vance

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, just hours after appearing in public to deliver his traditional Easter blessing in St. Peter’s Square—an unexpected moment of joy that now stands as his final public act.

On Easter Sunday, the pontiff greeted thousands from the iconic loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, the same balcony where he was first introduced to the world on March 13, 2013, as the 266th pope. The surprise appearance, which included a ride in the popemobile around the piazza, drew raucous cheers from pilgrims and tourists.

Beforehand, he also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican.

Pope Francis’ Final Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace in Gaza and Ukraine

“Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” Francis said, his voice noticeably stronger than it had been in recent weeks following his release from the hospital on March 23, where he had been treated for pneumonia.

The Pope’s Easter message, known as the Urbi et Orbi blessing, was delivered by a clergy member with Francis seated beside him. In it, he called for peace in global conflicts, particularly Ukraine and Gaza.

“There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others,” the message said.

“What a great thirst for death, for killing we see in the many conflicts raging in different parts of the world.”

Speaking directly to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Francis said Israel’s war there “causes death and destruction” and described a “deplorable humanitarian situation.”

Turning to the war in Ukraine, he offered a plea: “May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance One of Last Visitors to Pope

Earlier that same day, Francis met briefly with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican. The two exchanged Easter greetings in a private meeting at the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where the pope resided.

“I know you have not been feeling great but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance told the pontiff. “Thank you for seeing me.”

The pope gifted the Catholic vice president three large chocolate Easter eggs—one for each of his children—along with a Vatican tie and rosaries.

“I pray for you every day,” Vance said as he took his leave. “God bless you.”

Vance later attended Easter Mass with his family at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and visited the tomb believed to belong to the apostle Paul.

The meeting came after a clash between the pope and the vice president over U.S. immigration policy. Francis, who has long championed the rights of migrants, had sharply criticized the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans—a policy Vance has publicly defended.

Just days before his February hospitalization, Francis condemned such plans in a pointed rebuke, saying they robbed migrants of their dignity. He also addressed a letter to U.S. bishops that appeared to take aim at Vance, who had cited Catholic doctrine to justify the deportation policy.

Vance, a Catholic convert since 2019, has acknowledged the pope’s disapproval but signaled no intention to change course. At the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington on February 28, Vance referred to himself as a “baby Catholic” and admitted, “There are things about the faith that I don’t know.”

The vice president’s Easter visit now ranks among the last audiences granted by Pope Francis, capping a papacy that spanned more than a decade and consistently challenged global power structures on issues of peace, justice, and compassion.