Mike Pence Stokes Backlash for Calling Pope Francis ‘Holy Father,’ Posting Anti-Trump Op-Ed
Former Vice President Mike Pence drew criticism over the weekend for a Friday X post in which he referred to Pope Francis as “the Holy Father,” prompting some to accuse him of affirming Roman Catholicism despite being an outspoken Evangelical Protestant.
“One of my greatest honors as Vice President was the hour I spent with Pope Francis at the Vatican in January 2020,” Pence tweeted. “[Karen Pence] and I join Catholics around the world Praying for this humble and godly man. God Bless the Holy Father.” . .
Pence was raised Roman Catholic but later left the Catholic Church to become an Evangelical when he was in college, according to a profile in The New York Times. . .
One of my greatest honors as Vice President was the hour I spent with Pope Francis at the Vatican in January 2020. @KarenPence and I join Catholics around the world Praying for this humble and godly man. God Bless the Holy Father🙏 pic.twitter.com/4TNWQi9Ksq
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) March 1, 2025
“‘Holy Father’?? Remember when the evangelical establishment chided us all about not giving the seriousness of Pence’s Protestant faith due respect…,” tweeted author and Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham.
Pence’s papal tweet came the same day he drew backlash for tweeting an op-ed by the Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal titled “Putin Wins the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office Spectacle.” (Read more from “Mike Pence Stokes Backlash for Calling Pope Francis ‘Holy Father,’ Posting Anti-Trump Op-Ed” HERE)
