After an initial handshake and brief conversation, Vance reached out and lightly patted Pope Leo on the elbow—a move social media users quickly labeled “overly familiar and inappropriate.”
These moments — while minor in physicality — can carry major implications when viewed through the lens of public relations liability and international conduct risk.
One critic wrote: “J.D. Vance embarrassed himself again at the Vatican when he attempted to pat Pope Leo XIV on the shoulder like a drinking buddy in St. Peter’s Basilica after the papal inauguration mass.”
Protocol, Power, and Public Perception
Another viewer called the gesture “almost condescending” and likened it to “patting a puppy’s head before moving along.”
According to MetroWest, visiting the Vatican comes with its own rulebook — one that draws parallels to royal protocol and even corporate executive behavior standards, similar to those required in private wealth management or prestige insurance underwriting.
Conservative dress is expected, with men wearing suits and ties, and women opting for modest dresses or suits. Guests must wait to be introduced and only speak when spoken to, referring to the pope as “Your Holiness.”
