Pope Leo XIV’s Apple Watch Sparks Online Buzz

Just weeks into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is already drawing attention—not just for his global diplomacy, but for an unexpected fashion

statement. During a recent televised Mass, viewers spotted the new Pontiff wearing an Apple Watch beneath his traditional papal robes.

The image quickly went viral, with social media users amused by the blend of ancient ritual and modern tech. “The Pope wearing an

Apple Watch gets me every time,” one user wrote. Tech blogs joined in, with 9to5Mac posting a close-up and sparking debate over the exact model.

Pope Leo XIV, born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, officially assumed the papacy earlier this month. Since then,

he’s called for peace in Ukraine, an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, and welcomed a diplomatic breakthrough between India and Pakistan.

But it’s the smartwatch on his wrist—possibly tracking steps or checking notifications—that stole the internet’s

attention. Some online sleuths even unearthed older photos of then-Cardinal Prevost wearing the same device.

While Pope Leo XIV continues shaping his vision for the Church, the Apple Watch moment has highlighted a lighter,

tech-savvy side of the new papacy—blending timeless faith with 21st-century connectivity.