When Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago-born cardinal, ascended to the papacy as Pope Leo XIV, many anticipated a papacy that would embrace modernity, with a distinctly American flair. Few, however, could have predicted that his first viral moment as pontiff would involve a baseball-style catch in St. Peter’s Square.
On May 28, during one of his early public rides through the crowd in the popemobile, the day was bright and peaceful, and the crowd was in high spirits. Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone tossed a small handmade cloth doll into the air—dressed in miniature papal vestments and a white skullcap, resembling the pope himself. Without hesitation, Pope Leo reached out and caught the doll with one hand. The crowd burst into laughter and applause.