After Pope Francis's Death, His "Mic Drop" Last Act During A Visit From JD Vance Is Going Super Viral

Pope Francis, largely regarded as the Catholic Church’s most progressive leader of all time, died early on Easter Monday.

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The Vatican reported that he “died of a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure,” according to AP.

He was a trailblazer for LGBTQIA+ rights, migrants, and people affected by war, speaking on the phone nightly with Catholics in Gaza since October 2023. He also lived simply and humbly, making headlines in 2013 for carrying his own briefcase onto a plane (gasp!).

On Easter Sunday, the Vatican held a meeting with Vice President JD Vance, but Pope Francis was reportedly not in attendance. Instead, the VP met with the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and its foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

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Vance, a Catholic convert, also attended Easter mass at the Vatican.

Vance later had a brief encounter with the pope, exchanging Easter well-wishes. “I know you’ve not been feeling well, but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance said in a clip released by AP. Pope Francis could be seen in a wheelchair.

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The VP’s time in the Vatican came at a tense crossroads in the Trump administration’s relations with the papacy. Back in February, Pope Francis publicly criticized Trump’s immigration policy and mass deportation efforts. Vance’s meeting with Catholic leaders included “an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners,” according to a statement from the Vatican.

The statement continued, “Finally, hope was expressed for serene collaboration between the state and the Catholic Church in the United States, whose valuable service to the most vulnerable people was acknowledged.”

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The pope had been critical of the Trump administration’s cuts to international aid in addition to its stance on migrants.

The Daily Beast called Vance’s meeting with Catholic leaders “a lecture on compassion” and said that the pope’s “last act was to give JD Vance a lesson about migrants.” Later, Pope Francis gave what would be his last public appearance, an Easter address.

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He again advocated for migrants, saying, “How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants! On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life, and ideas.”

A tweet from before the pope’s death quoting the Daily Beast article has gone viral, racking up over 200,000 likes and nearly 9 million views. “Pope Francis W,” the poster wrote.

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The wording of the article has since been changed slightly, saying Pope Francis “did not attend” the meeting rather than “skipped” it.

People were all over this epic papal mic drop. “We can’t rule out that God kept Francis alive so he could do this,” this person wrote, referring to the pope’s hospitalization in February and ongoing health issues.

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Some cracked jokes.

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Then, following the pope’s death, people pointed out how soon after Vance’s visit he died. Along with a clip from Francis and Vance’s encounter, X user @AntiTrumpCanada wrote, “So he survived double pneumonia but couldn’t survive the stench of theocratic authoritarianism. Rest in peace, Pope Francis.”

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One person posted a screenshot of a New York Times article about Vance’s visit and called Francis “a good man and a true Catholic.”

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Of course, plenty of people made jokes about Vance’s visit killing Francis. This person said it instead “probably drained the Pope’s will to live.”

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Most people just thought this was a pretty epic last act on Francis’s part. “so you’re telling me pope francis took his last energy to give mass, shit on jd vance, and pray for gaza and died the day jesus resurrected,” this person tweeted.