{"id":28040,"date":"2025-05-20T15:34:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T15:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=28040"},"modified":"2025-05-20T15:34:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T15:34:34","slug":"jd-vances-gift-to-pope-leo-xiv-during-vatican-visit-sparked-heated-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=28040","title":{"rendered":"JD Vance’s Gift to Pope Leo XIV during Vatican Visit Sparked Heated Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A sports-themed surprise from Vice President J. D. Vance to Pope Leo XIV during a Vatican visit raised eyebrows worldwide, sparking debate over decorum, diplomacy, and faith.<\/p>\n

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During a formal visit to the Vatican, U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance presented Pope Leo XIV with a gift that left many viewers stunned: a custom Chicago Bears football jersey with the name “Pope Leo” and the number “XIV.”<\/p>\n

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U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance presents Pope Leo XIV with a custom Chicago Bears football jersey on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The unusual offering was\u00a0captured on video<\/a>\u00a0and quickly made its rounds across social media, igniting widespread conversation about its appropriateness. The Chicago-born pontiff, the first American elected to the papacy, received the gift with a smile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Pope<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pope Leo XIV smiles as he receives a gift from U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Vance, standing beside him,\u00a0said<\/a>, “As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you.” Vance also handed Pope Leo XIV a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady, personally inviting him to visit the United States. The Pope accepted the letter and placed it on his desk.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Pope<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pope Leo XIV accepts a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In return, Pope Leo XIV gave Vance a\u00a0bronze sculpture<\/a>\u00a0inscribed in Italian with the words “Peace is a fragile flower.” He also presented a picture book featuring the papal apartments at the Apostolic Palace. The exchange might have ended there, but footage of the visit went viral and stirred intense debate online.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Pope<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pope Leo XIV offers gifts to J. D. and Usha Vance on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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On Instagram, some users questioned whether the jersey was a respectful gesture. One\u00a0asked<\/a>,\u00a0“Was that appropriate?”<\/i>\u00a0Another\u00a0wrote<\/a>,\u00a0“Is it me but doesn’t this feel soo wrong?”<\/i>\u00a0A third\u00a0added<\/a>,\u00a0“Umm, not the best gift for the new Pope.”<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Commentary on Facebook and YouTube echoed similar concerns.\u00a0“He brings a Chicago Bears jersey to the Pope?.. \ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23,”<\/i>\u00a0one Facebook user\u00a0wrote<\/a>. Another\u00a0remarked<\/a>,\u00a0“A Tee Shirt for the Pope how embarrassing…”<\/i>\u00a0and a third\u00a0commented<\/a>,\u00a0“A Jersey????\ud83d\ude33\ud83d\ude02”<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance hands Pope Leo XIV a letter on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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One YouTube commenter\u00a0shared<\/a>,\u00a0“Feels very awkward,”<\/i>\u00a0while another\u00a0stated<\/a>,\u00a0“What a joke, a disgraceful and inappropriate gift. Very clear this guy is NOT a true Christian. May god bless Pope Leo XVI and guide him in his journey.”<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance and Pope Leo XIV pose together on May 19, 2025 | Source: YouTube\/@diarioas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Amid the criticism, others pushed back at the backlash.\u00a0“You people act like you know what Pope Leo is thinking about you don’t know if he liked or not like the gifts he got all you may know he could of been happy about the shirt,”<\/i>\u00a0one person\u00a0wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The jersey handoff may have drawn widespread attention, but it was not the first time Vice President Vance found himself at the center of Vatican controversy. Just weeks earlier, during an Easter weekend visit to Pope Francis,\u00a0a seemingly tender moment with his young son inside the Sistine Chapel ignited a wave of backlash across social media.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A widely shared photo of Vance during his April 2025 visit to Vatican City appeared to break one of the Vatican’s most sacred rules.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Vice President JD Vance at the celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday as part of the Holy Week at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on April 18, 2025. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The\u00a0image<\/a>, posted by conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, shows Vance and his young son standing inside the Sistine Chapel, gazing up at Michelangelo’s iconic ceiling. The moment was captured by White House photographer Emily Higgins and posted to X.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“An epic shot of Vice President JD Vance and his son inside the Sistine Chapel. What an incredible way to spend Easter weekend,” Kirk\u00a0wrote<\/a>. While the image seemed to showcase a tender father-son moment amid a historic setting, it has since stirred controversy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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