Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Vatican City this Sunday to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV, the White House confirmed on Thursday.

As first reported by Bloomberg, both officials are expected to join the U.S. delegation for the ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, along with Second Lady Usha Vance.

Leo, formerly known as Robert Prevost of Chicago, is the first American to ascend to the papacy, marking a historic moment for the U.S. Catholic community. His election by the conclave last week has been widely acknowledged as a symbolic shift in global church dynamics.

Vice President Vance, who became Catholic in 2019, had a brief meeting with Pope Francis before his passing last month. Following Leo’s election, Vance publicly congratulated the new pontiff, writing on X, “I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!”

Before his papal election, Prevost was known for occasional social media activity. Some posts were interpreted as critical of Vance and former President Donald Trump. In one notable message, he shared an article critical of the vice president with the headline, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

In an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Vance addressed concerns about potential political friction. “It’s very hard to fit a 2,000-year-old institution into the politics of 2025 America,” he said. While acknowledging there may be differences, he emphasized that he would continue praying for the pope and the church.

“I’m sure he’ll say things I agree with, and some things I won’t,” Vance added. “But I’ll continue to pray for him and support the church despite it all.”

Donald Trump also responded to Leo’s election with a post on Truth Social, calling the moment a “Great Honor for our Country” and expressing his anticipation for a future meeting with the pope.

That moment came shortly after a controversial post by Trump, who shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as pope. The move sparked criticism from Catholic leaders and public figures. The New York State Catholic Conference responded, “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President.” Cardinal Timothy Dolan labeled the image “not good,” and former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called it an offense to the faithful.

Pope Leo XIV was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and has spent much of his ministry working in Peru. His election has drawn attention not only for its symbolism but for the political questions it raises among American leaders now preparing to greet him at the Vatican.