'Nerdy Pope' trends on social media after Pope Leo's Vatican observatory visit: All you need to know about his educational qualifications
On July 20, 1969, millions of eyes were on the screen watching a live broadcast of the moon landing of the Eagle lunar module from the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer, became the first person to set foot on the moon.
Ever since the day that has had a permanent space in the history of humanity, it has been celebrated every year.
In 2025, on July 20, Pope Leo XIV visited the Vatican Observatory located in one of the domes on the fifth floor of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo. The 69-year-old pope commemorated the moon landing by observing the moon at the same location where the landing occurred, the Sea of Tranquility. The news of the same was shared by the Holy See Press Office via its Telegram channel.
Pope Leo's Vatican observatory visit trends on social media
Image credits: X
Ever since, images of the pope curiously looking at the moon through the telescope have gone viral on the internet, prompting people to point out that they have a 'nerdy Pope.' Netizens on social media have been making various comments about the Pope being locked in and excited for the viewing.
"he is locked in 😭 we have a nerdy Pope and I love him for that 😭" wrote a person in a post on X that has received 155.8K views and 7.8K likes.
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"The Vatican Astronomy Club has a new member, it seems..." added another.
"Even covering his other eye still doing aura-farming 😩" quipped another.
Many pointed out how Pope Leo was a mathematician, already making him a nerdy Pope. "Him being a mathematician makes everything more beautiful. I can't look at an image like this and not remember Galileo, who in the famous "Il Saggiatori" writes that mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe :)" and "The dude is a mathematician. How more nerdy can my pope be lol"
Pope Leo's interest in the science of the universe and his being a mathematician have many of his followers falling more in love with him and respecting his knowledge. What other educational qualifications does he have? Let's find out!
What are Pope Leo's educational qualifications?
Image credits: X
Pope Leo is the first Augustinian and second American pope in history.
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago to Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martinez, he is one of three siblings and spent his childhood studying at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers.
He graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania in 1977 with a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and also studied philosophy. He received his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union at Chicago. At 27, he was sent to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
Along with this, Pope Leo is also fluent in numerous languages such as English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese and is able to read Latin and German.
For a person who has not only studied the word of god but also the science of the universe, it's no wonder the moon landing held an exciting and inquisitive wealth of knowledge.
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