Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter’s Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St.

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of Pope Francis’ final encounters before his death was with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who visited the Vatican over the weekend. The meeting took place on Easter Sunday. Vance, a Catholic convert, entered the room and reached down for the pope’s hand. “Hello,” the vice president said. “So good to see you.”

Francis, who emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, died on Monday morning, the Vatican announced.