Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
JD Vance and his forty 4x4s visit the Vatican during trip to Rome
JD Vance and his forty 4x4s visit the Vatican during trip to Rome
The US vice-president, a self-styled ‘baby Catholic’ who was baptised in 2019, and his family met senior officials from the Catholic Church
Peter Conradi in Rome
Saturday April 19 2025, 9.25pm BST, The Sunday Times
A trip to the Sistine Chapel is near the top of the bucket list for most Americans making their first trip to Rome. Few visitors are able to do so in such grand style as JD Vance, who turned up at the Vatican on Saturday aboard a traffic-clogging motorcade of 40 black 4x4s. … Vance — a self-styled “baby Catholic” who was baptised in a private chapel in Cincinnati in 2019 — had talks with Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, and other top officials from the Holy See. … He was accompanied to the Vatican by his wife, Usha, and their three young children. The second family was then given a private tour of the Sistine Chapel.
JD Vance’s son Ewan wore gladiatorial armour for his walk around Rome’s botanical garden
AP/RICCARDO DE LUCA
During the afternoon, they went on to visit the botanical garden in the Trastevere district, in the west of the city. Vance was dressed casually and wore a cap, as he strolled with his two sons, Ewan, seven, and Vivek, five. Ewan chose to sport gladiator armour to mark the occasion. … Later Usha enjoyed an evening visit to the Colosseum — which her husband had also been scheduled to attend before a last-minute change of plan — where she was given a personal tour of the arena, famous for its gladiatorial combats and naval battles, by Alfonsina Russo, the director.
Parolin welcomes the Vances on Saturday
VATICAN MEDIA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Lesser mortals unlucky enough to have booked their own visit had to make do with a refund — but not all of them had got the message. There were chaotic scenes as some would-be visitors tried to open the gates surrounding the building, while others climbed over the fences, ticket in hand, trying to force their way in. Some chanted “shame” or anti-American slogans when they learnt the reason for the closure, Italian media reported.
Among the disappointed was Stephen Fishler, 58, a businessman from New York who arrived with his family in good time for his 6pm slot, but was turned away without explanation. “What does he think he is, special?” complained Fishler, himself a Trump voter. “JD should have waited until the Americans who had tickets had their visit and then gone in.” His wife, Anila, tried to calm him down and blamed the Italians.
Vance has described himself as a “baby Catholic”
VATICAN MEDIA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
{snip}
The US vice-president, a self-styled ‘baby Catholic’ who was baptised in 2019, and his family met senior officials from the Catholic Church
Peter Conradi in Rome
Saturday April 19 2025, 9.25pm BST, The Sunday Times
A trip to the Sistine Chapel is near the top of the bucket list for most Americans making their first trip to Rome. Few visitors are able to do so in such grand style as JD Vance, who turned up at the Vatican on Saturday aboard a traffic-clogging motorcade of 40 black 4x4s. … Vance — a self-styled “baby Catholic” who was baptised in a private chapel in Cincinnati in 2019 — had talks with Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, and other top officials from the Holy See. … He was accompanied to the Vatican by his wife, Usha, and their three young children. The second family was then given a private tour of the Sistine Chapel.
JD Vance’s son Ewan wore gladiatorial armour for his walk around Rome’s botanical garden
AP/RICCARDO DE LUCA
During the afternoon, they went on to visit the botanical garden in the Trastevere district, in the west of the city. Vance was dressed casually and wore a cap, as he strolled with his two sons, Ewan, seven, and Vivek, five. Ewan chose to sport gladiator armour to mark the occasion. … Later Usha enjoyed an evening visit to the Colosseum — which her husband had also been scheduled to attend before a last-minute change of plan — where she was given a personal tour of the arena, famous for its gladiatorial combats and naval battles, by Alfonsina Russo, the director.
Parolin welcomes the Vances on Saturday
VATICAN MEDIA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Lesser mortals unlucky enough to have booked their own visit had to make do with a refund — but not all of them had got the message. There were chaotic scenes as some would-be visitors tried to open the gates surrounding the building, while others climbed over the fences, ticket in hand, trying to force their way in. Some chanted “shame” or anti-American slogans when they learnt the reason for the closure, Italian media reported.
Among the disappointed was Stephen Fishler, 58, a businessman from New York who arrived with his family in good time for his 6pm slot, but was turned away without explanation. “What does he think he is, special?” complained Fishler, himself a Trump voter. “JD should have waited until the Americans who had tickets had their visit and then gone in.” His wife, Anila, tried to calm him down and blamed the Italians.
Vance has described himself as a “baby Catholic”
VATICAN MEDIA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
{snip}
Sat Apr 26, 2025: The biggest through-line with all of these people is that they are just colossal assholes in every aspect of their lives
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
