Since becoming head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV has been in the news a lot. People are talking about his Apple Watch, not his diplomatic work or the way he usually dresses as a pope. During a recent Holy Mass, sharp-eyed viewers saw the 69-year-old pope wearing a smartwatch under his traditional robes. This caused a range of comments online.
Some individuals thought it was funny that the Pope wore an Apple Watch during an ancient rite. One person said, “The Pope wearing an Apple Watch gets me every time.” Some people thought it was a sign of how the Church’s relationship with modernity was changing. The picture of the Pope using modern technology has started a bigger conversation about how old traditions and new technologies might work together. ¹
People have noticed Pope Leo XIV’s love of technology before. Before Francis became pope, pictures of him wearing the same smartwatch at different events came out. Online sleuths even found old pictures of then-Cardinal Prevost blessing churchgoers, showing the unmistakable strap of a timepiece on his wrist.
Pope Leo XIV’s Work in Diplomacy
Pope Leo XIV has been working on important global concerns, not just the hoopla around his Apple Watch. He has asked for a permanent peace in Ukraine, called for an end to the fighting in Gaza right away, and praised the deal between India and Pakistan. His leadership still focusses on diplomacy, helping others, and how technology affects society ² ³.
People are talking about the Pope’s Apple Watch, but it’s also a sign of how the Church is trying to stay current and engaged with its followers throughout the world. One commenter remarked, “Now I just want to know what the Pope’s daily step goal is.” 1
