Mike Pence tells Pope 'you've made me a hero' as Francis gives him a medal for his devout Catholic mom during hour-long private meeting

  • Vice President Mike Pence told Pope Francis he made him a 'hero' for giving him a gift for his mom Nancy
  • Pence was raised Catholic but is now an evangelical, born-again Christian
  • Pope Francis gave him a medal for his mom 
  • 'You've made me a hero,' Pence told the pontiff
  • Pence met with the Pope at Vatican City after vice president's trip to Israel 

Vice President Mike Pence told Pope Francis on Friday that the pontiff made him a 'hero' for giving him a gift for his mom.

Pence was raised Catholic but is now an evangelical, born-again Christian. His mother Nancy was reported to be disappointed by his conversion and remains a member of the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis, while meeting with the vice president at the Vatican, gave him a small white box containing a medal.

'This is for mom,' Pence said. 

'You've made me a hero,' he told the pope.

Vice President Mike Pence told Pope Francis he made him a 'hero' for giving him a gift for his mom Nancy

Vice President Mike Pence told Pope Francis he made him a 'hero' for giving him a gift for his mom Nancy

Vice President Pence brought his daughter-in-law Sarah and his wife Karen to join his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican

Vice President Pence brought his daughter-in-law Sarah and his wife Karen to join his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican

Mom and son": Mike Pence's mother Nancy raised him in the Catholic faith and was reported to have been disappointed when he became a born-again Christian

Mom and son": Mike Pence's mother Nancy raised him in the Catholic faith and was reported to have been disappointed when he became a born-again Christian

After he met with the pope, Pence and his party toured the Sistine Chapel

After he met with the pope, Pence and his party toured the Sistine Chapel

Pence visited the Apostolic Palace after meeting with the pope

Pence visited the Apostolic Palace after meeting with the pope

The vice president and the pontiff held a one hour conversation that had Pence beaming when he left the discussion in the papal library.

The two men discussed 'the March for Life, Venezuela, and displaced religious minorities in Middle East,' according to the vice president's office. 

Pence was at Vatican City in Rome, meeting with the head of the Catholic Church, as Donald Trump prepares to become the first U.S. president to ever address the anti-abortion March for Life rally on the National Mall Friday afternoon. 

The vice president extended Trump's best wishes to the pontiff. 

'I wanted to extend the warmest greetings on behalf of President Donald Trump who so enjoyed his visit here,' Pence said to Pope Francis. 'And he wanted me to send his regards.'

Pence was joined by his wife Karen and daughter-in-law Sarah. They were joined for their meeting at the Vatican by U.S ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich and her husband, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. 

Pence gave the pope a crucifix made with wood from a tree near the Vice President's residence. 

Pope Francis also gave Pence five bound books of his writings as pope, as well as a copy of the annual peace message. 

Vice President Pence and Karen Pence in the Sala Regia at the Apostolic Palace

Vice President Pence and Karen Pence in the Sala Regia at the Apostolic Palace

Pence with Vatican representatives and members of the Swiss guard

Pence with Vatican representatives and members of the Swiss guard

Pence gave Pope Francis a crucifix made of wood from near the vice president's home

Pence gave Pope Francis a crucifix made of wood from near the vice president's home

Vice President Pence with his mom Nancy during a September 2019 trip to Ireland

Vice President Pence with his mom Nancy during a September 2019 trip to Ireland

U.S ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich and her husband, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, greeted the Pence party upon their arrival in Italy

U.S ambassador to the Holy See Callista Gingrich and her husband, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, greeted the Pence party upon their arrival in Italy

Donald Trump met with the pope at the Vatican in May 2017 during a trip with first lady Melania Trump, first daughter Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner

Donald Trump met with the pope at the Vatican in May 2017 during a trip with first lady Melania Trump, first daughter Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner

The Pence party also toured the Sistine Chapel - which was filled with tourists while the vice president was in there -  and then the vice president headed to separate meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Premier Giuseppe Conte.

Trump met with the pope at the Vatican in May 2017 during a trip with first lady Melania Trump, first daughter Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner.

The president will head to the National Mall on Friday to address the pro-life movement. 

His speech comes as he courts religious voters ahead of the November election - a voting base he'll need at the ballot box - and as he fights off impeachment charges against him in the Senate. 

He'll speak to the crowd a short distance away from the U.S. Capitol, where Democrats will wrap up their case against Trump on Friday afternoon. 

Last year, the president sent a video taped message to the march.

This year he'll be there in person.  

March for Life President Jeanne Mancini praised Trump and his administration as 'consistent champions for life.'

'We are deeply honored to welcome President Trump to the 47th annual March for Life,' she said in a statement earlier this week. 'He will be the first president in history to attend and we are so excited for him to experience in person how passionate our marchers are about life and protecting the unborn.' 

About 100,000 people attended last year's march. 

The announcement of Trump's participation was made on the 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade - the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States.

The March for Life began in 1974, the year after the Roe v. Wade decision.

The pro-life movement was initially skeptical of Trump when he began his presidential bid but has come to embrace him.

Donald Trump will become the first U.S. president in history to address the March for Rally

Donald Trump will become the first U.S. president in history to address the March for Rally

He has courted them in returning, appointing conservative judges with records of restricting abortion rights, and meeting with religious leaders.

Pence, meanwhile, is wrapping up a trip to Israel and Italy. 

He was in Jerusalem for Holocaust memorial event where his office denied he was snubbed by Prince Charles, who avoided shaking hands with the vice president but then but then smiled as he greeted Vladimir Putin.

A video clip of the Prince of Wales greeting officials in Israel on Thursday shows him walking along the front row of seats, shaking hands with world and Jewish leaders.

When he came to Pence, the vice president had his hand extended in apparent expectation of a handshake.

But the heir to the British throne merely looked him in the eye before moving on to shake hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's President Reuven Rivlin.

As the video went public, both Pence's staff and Buckingham Palace denied it was a snub and said the pair had met before entering the hall, exchanging smiles and joking with each other, and shaken hands after the event. 

Katie Waldman, the Vice President's press secretary, tweeted a video and picture of Pence and Charles together before the event. 

A Buckingham Palace told the BBC the prince and Pence had a 'long and warm conversation' before the ceremony began.

The Prince of Wales approached Mike Pence at the event in Israel as he greeted dignitaries, but did not shake his had after looking him in the eye

The Prince of Wales approached Mike Pence at the event in Israel as he greeted dignitaries, but did not shake his had after looking him in the eye 

A video clip of the Prince of Wales greeting officials in Israel shows him walking along the front row of seats, shaking hands with several dignitaries. But when he came to Pence, the heir to the throne merely looked him in the eye before moving on to shake hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

A video clip of the Prince of Wales greeting officials in Israel shows him walking along the front row of seats, shaking hands with several dignitaries. But when he came to Pence, the heir to the throne merely looked him in the eye before moving on to shake hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Mike Pence patted Prince Charles on the back after he walked past without shaking his hand and greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Auschwitz event today

Mike Pence patted Prince Charles on the back after he walked past without shaking his hand and greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Auschwitz event today 

Vice President's press secretary, Katie Waldman, tweeted a photo she said was taken before guests entered the hall at the Auschwitz memorial event today, showing Prince Charles and Mike Pence sharing a joke

Vice President's press secretary, Katie Waldman, tweeted a photo she said was taken before guests entered the hall at the Auschwitz memorial event today, showing Prince Charles and Mike Pence sharing a joke

Waldman added in a statement: 'Vice President Pence and the Second Lady spoke with Prince Charles for five minutes in the pre-program before they entered the hall. Also they shook hands at the end of his remarks.' 

In the clip the Prince first speaks to the German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, then shaking hands with Moshe Kantor, founder of the World Holocaust Forum which held the event.

He is then seen walking past Pence to shake hands with Netanyahu and the Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin.

The Prince did not appear to make an effort to approach Pence and his wife, Karen, as the VP then patted the Queen's first son on the back as he spoke to Netanyahu. 

Strictly speaking, Prince Charles followed protocol, shaking hands with a head of state - the German president - then his hosts, Kantor, Netanyahu and Rivlin; Pence is not a head of state nor a host.

But the optics of the apparent snub were impossible to miss - as was Pence's expression.

Once Charles walked past Pence, he then took his seat next to French President Emmanuel Macron and warmly shook hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After a friendly discussion with Netanyahu, Prince Charles then shook hands with Macron. 

The Prince greeted Putin with a handshake and a smile in a separate clip posted online. 

Charles had been meeting including world leaders at the event to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Charles reached across Emmanuel Macron to warmly greet Russian President Vladimir Putin just moments after walking past Mike Pence and not greeting him

Charles reached across Emmanuel Macron to warmly greet Russian President Vladimir Putin just moments after walking past Mike Pence and not greeting him 

Earlier at the memorial, Prince Charles told invited guests that the stories of the Holocaust belonged to many of those in the hall and Jewish people across the globe.

He added: 'But we must never forget that they are also our story: a story of incomprehensible inhumanity, from which all humanity can and must learn. 

'For that an evil cannot be described does not mean that it cannot be defeated. That it cannot be fully understood does not mean that it cannot be overcome.'

From left: US Vice President Mike Pence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's prince Charles during the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem

From left: US Vice President Mike Pence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's prince Charles during the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem

After walking past Mike Pence, Prince Charles went on to shake hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right)

After walking past Mike Pence, Prince Charles went on to shake hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right)

When Pence spoke he urged the international community to 'stand strong' against Iran, calling it the only country where Holocaust denial is 'state policy'.

He was watched by Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, who clapped as he spoke.  

Putin used his platform at the event to take political aim at Poland. Polish politicians have been infuriated by the central role given to Putin at the historic commemoration. 

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