JD Vance basically ‘gave God the finger’ when he broke a very specific and stringent Vatican rule.

The US vice president jetted off to Vatican City in Italy last week to meet some notable figures, including Pope Francis, who Vance met just hours before the 88-year-old died.

The late pontiff served as head of the Catholic Church for 12 years up until his death on Easter Monday (April 21), with his funeral and burial scheduled to take place in the holy city this Saturday.

While Vance, who converted to Catholicism later in life, paid tribute to Francis, a photograph of him from a visit to the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel has also been doing the rounds which has caused a stir online.

JD Vance met the Pope a day before his death (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

The controversial image in question shows Vance and his son admiring the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, famously home to Michelangelo’s sprawling religious painting of nine scenes from the Book of Genesis.

Someone gushed on social media that it was an ‘epic shot’ of the pair in the historic centuries-old chapel, adding: “What an incredible way to spend Easter weekend.”

Yet it is here where Vance made the blatant mistake that many people have been fuming about.

“Taking this pic is basically like giving God the finger,” raged one on Twitter while another slammed Vance as having ‘no respect’.

And that’s because among the Vatican’s lengthy list of rules is some very strict policies on photography, electronic equipment and mobile phones.

There’s a good reason why there are so many strict rules for visitors at the Sistine Chapel (Getty Images)

According to visitor’s rules, photography can be taken in the Vatican museums – in all but the Sistine Chapel.

While non-flash photography is allowed pretty much everywhere else – though tripods, drones and ‘selfie sticks’ are banned across the site – no images or film are to be taken in the Sistine Chapel in any format whatsoever.

The rules state, in bold, on the website: “In the Sistine Chapel it is forbidden to take photographs or films with any type of electronic equipment. The guard staff is authorised to request the immediate cancellation, in their presence, of video or photographic material produced in contravention of this rule.”

Cell phones can be permitted across the museums providing they are on silent, but again are forbidden inside the Sistine Chapel.

An epic shot of Vice President JD Vance and his son inside the Sistine Chapel. What an incredible way to spend Easter weekend.

To this end, visitors must also observe ‘absolute silence’ out of ‘respect for and in view of the sanctity of the location.’

The reason it has such strict rules comes down to the magnificent artwork, which Michelangelo finished painting in 1512 at the age of 36.

The painting has more than 300 figures on it and depicts several biblical stories from the Book of Genesis, including the Creation of Adam to the Fall of man after Noah’s flood and the Last Judgement.

It has portraits of prophets and sibyls announcing the coming of the Messiah, making it the perfect site for papal court ceremonies for the VIP’s of the city.

Michelle Obama had a similar image taken inside the chapel (MAURIX/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Its most famous function is the Conclave, which makes up the assembly of cardinals who will soon gather under the historic ceiling, lock all the doors and discuss their election of the new pope in total secrecy.

However, while Vance has seemingly flouted the rules, he may have been spared being booted out since the image was taken by an official White House photographer, suggesting he likely got permission for the image before his visit.

Other visiting US officials and their families have also had similar snaps in the chapel, including former first lady Michelle Obama who had a snap admiring the artwork while touring the landmark in 2009.

Russell Crowe and Jason Momoa have also shared images from inside the chapel.