Vice President JD Vance has sparked controversy after being photographed inside Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel, violating one of the institution’s most famously enforced rules.
The image, taken during Vance’s Easter weekend visit and shared by MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, shows Vance holding his young son while gazing up at Michelangelo’s iconic fresco, The Creation of Adam.
The photograph was captured by official White House photographer Emily Higgins, and has since been viewed 1 million times on X (formerly Twitter).
Kirk wrote alongside the image: "An epic shot of Vice President JD Vance and his son inside the Sistine Chapel. What an incredible way to spend Easter weekend."
Needless to say, the backlash erupted quickly online.
“You do NOT take pictures in the Sistine Chapel,” one X user wrote. Another posted, “No respect. 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.”
“There is a strict rule of not taking pictures within the chapel,” another critic added. “But we all know that some people wipe their feet on rules and even the law.”
"Not allowed to take photos in the Sistine Chapel. Even in something so basic, they think the rules don’t apply to them," another added.
Critics viewed the vice president’s photographed moment as emblematic of a broader disregard for religious protocol and traditions. “This isn’t about politics,” one critic wrote. “It’s about respect. JD Vance knew better.”
One X user bluntly replied: "This administration has no respect for anyone or anything. Photos are not allowed in the Sistine Chapel. I’ve been there a few times."
Another outraged X user even went as far as to say: "Taking this pic is basically like giving God the finger. It's prohibited to preserve the amazing art and sanctity of the space."
Photography and filming inside the Sistine Chapel is explicitly prohibited, as stated on the official Vatican Museums website: "Taking pictures and filming videos in the Sistine Chapel is strictly prohibited. It is allowed to take pictures without flash inside the Vatican Museums."
In fact, guards are authorised to confiscate cameras and delete images if the rule is broken.
The policy dates back to a 1980s agreement when the Vatican granted Japan’s Nippon TV exclusive filming rights in exchange for £3.2 million to restore the chapel’s frescoes. Although the agreement expired in the 1990s, the no-photo rule remained in place to protect the art and preserve the sanctity of the chapel, the Mirror reports.
Vance, a Catholic convert, was visiting Vatican City for a three-day stay, which included Easter mass and a private meeting with Pope Francis. The 88-year-old pontiff died the following day. Despite comments from online trolls, the two events are unrelated.
Following Pope Francis’ death, Vance posted on X: "My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill."
The White House has not issued any response to the controversy. Supporters of Vance have pointed out that other American political figures, including Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Antony Blinken, have also been photographed inside the Sistine Chapel during official visits.
Footage released by The Times credited to Vatican Media showed Vance inside the chapel while holding his son, suggesting that the controversial image was taken during the same timeframe. Observers noted that while photography is typically banned, exceptions appear to be made for official visitors.
Nonetheless, the incident marks another misstep in Vance’s tenure as Vice President, adding to a series of controversies since he took office in January.
Past incidents include his comment asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy whether he had said "thank you" during a meeting, his accidental sharing of war plans in a group chat that included a journalist, and his remarks during a visit to Greenland where he said it was "cold as s**t here."
Oh, and who could forget when he referenced "random countries" coming to Ukraine's aid amid the ongoing Russian invasion?
While supporters argue that official visits can permit limited photography within the Sistine Chapel, the public backlash underscores the sensitivity of traditions within one of the world’s most sacred spaces.