A video capturing Pope Leo participating in a viral social media trend has attracted widespread international attention across digital platforms. The footage, filmed in the Vatican, depicts the pontiff engaging with a popular youth meme, drawing positive engagement and commentary regarding the head of the Catholic Church's approach to contemporary digital culture.
The St Peter's Square video
The video was initially published on the social media platform TikTok by Don Roberto Fiscer, an Italian Catholic priest and prominent digital influencer. The footage captures Fiscer standing alongside a group of young people in St Peter's Square as the papal entourage passes by the crowd.
#VIRAL ¡El papa haciendo el 'Six-Seven'!
— José Luis Morales (@JLMNoticias) May 16, 2026
Don Roberto Fiscer, sacerdote viral en redes, llevó a unos niños a saludar al papa León XIV. Lo recibieron con el viral '6-7' y así les respondió el pontífice!#JLMNoticias #JoséLuisMorales #Aguascalientes #Ags pic.twitter.com/HopiRSFQAB
As the pontiff approaches, the group collectively chants the phrase "6-7" while performing specific, synchronized hand gestures associated with a viral internet trend. Pope Leo responded by smiling at the youth, repeating the phrase, and mirroring the exact hand movements, triggering enthusiastic cheers from the children present and prompting extensive commentary across social networks.
Mechanics of the digital trend
The specific phenomenon, known widely as the "6-7" or "six-seven" trend, has secured significant momentum among children and teenage demographics on TikTok over recent months. The phrase carries no definitive linguistic meaning and functions primarily as an absurdist internet meme, where repetitive phrasing and deliberate awkwardness form the core of the humor.
Following the global circulation of the video, American political commentator Christopher Hale noted on the social media platform X that Pope Leo XIV possesses remarkable cultural range.
Pope Leo is historically significant as the first pontiff elected from the United States. Born in Chicago as Robert Prevost, his recent election to the papacy generated immense global interest among the Catholic faithful and digital audiences alike, with his public appearances frequently capturing widespread online attention.
Source: Washington Examiner
