Outrage as Vice President JD Vance shows 'lack of respect' following Pope's death

Bungling has sparked a fierce backlash following the death after breaking one of City’s most famously enforced rules.

America’s Vice President broke papal protocol by being photographed inside the Sistine Chapel. The controversy erupted after MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk posted a photo on social media showing Vance holding his young son inside the sacred space, gazing up at Michelangelo’s masterpiece The Creation of Adam.

The image, taken by official White House photographer Emily Higgins during the VP’s Easter weekend visit, quickly ignited online outrage. “You do NOT take pictures in the Sistine Chapel,” posted one X user. “No respect,” another user fumed, adding, “To take photos in the Sistine Chapel is strictly forbidden. Every true Catholic knows this… Rules are only to be followed by others but not the American government – utterly despicable.”

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“There is a strict rule of not taking pictures within the chapel,” another user wrote. “But we all know that some people wipe their feet on rules and even the law.”

The Sistine Chapel, home to one of the most important collections of Renaissance art, is the only location in Vatican City where photography is strictly banned. Its website makes clear that guards are authorised to confiscate cameras and delete images if the rule is broken.

The policy stems from a 1980s agreement in which the Vatican granted Japan’s Nippon TV exclusive filming rights in exchange for £3.2 million to restore the chapel’s artwork.

Although those rights expired in the '90s, the no-photo rule remained, widely understood as a means of protecting the artwork from potential flash damage and preserving the chapel's sanctity.

Vance, a Catholic convert, was in the Vatican for a three-day visit that included Easter mass and a private meeting with Pope Francis, who died the following day at age 88.

In a post on X, Vance offered condolences to the global Catholic community, writing: “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.”

The Vice President's violation of the photography ban was seen by many as a symbol of disregard for rules and protocol, especially galling to Catholic faithful who revere the site as a place of silence, prayer.

The White House has not responded to requests for comment. While Vance’s defenders have pointed to past photos of political figures such as Michelle Obama and the Clintons inside the chapel, critics argue that the blatant documentation and public sharing of the image set a troubling example.

“This isn’t about politics,” one critic wrote. “It’s about respect. JD Vance knew better.” The controversy is the latest gaffe to mark Vance’s vice presidency since coming to office in January.

He sparked outrage during a visit to Greenland as America demands to take control of the island, as well as being part of a group chat in which war attack plans were wrongly shared with a journalist.