BARCELONA, Spain — A powerful moment between Pope Leo XIV and a young Spanish boy has captured hearts worldwide after a photograph of their encounter sparked an international search to connect a photographer with the child’s family.
The image shows the pontiff gazing into the eyes of 7-year-old Joaquim, grasping both of the boy’s hands while they exchange smiles. Associated Press chief photographer Emilio Morenatti captured this touching scene, which first moved witnesses at the scene before resonating with countless people globally.
While Morenatti’s timing was impeccable, the story that unfolded afterward made the photograph even more compelling. After the image was published and Morenatti shared it on social media platform X, online investigators began hunting for the boy’s family. Meanwhile, the parents, who felt they had experienced a divine intervention, were simultaneously searching for the photographer.
Though the pope regularly interacts with individuals during his travels, this specific encounter possessed something that deeply touched observers. The two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Morenatti explained his perspective on this remarkable image:
“In photojournalism, a photograph should do more than document an event. It should convey a feeling, evoke an emotion and hold the viewer’s attention long enough to spark a thought, even if only for a brief moment.”
“I have always believed that if a photograph moves me while I am making it, there is a good chance it will move others as well,” he continued. “When that happens, the image transcends the simple recording of a moment and gains a deeper power.”
For 36-year-old Montse Martínez and her spouse, learning about Leo’s planned visit to the Sagrada Familia basilica seemed like divine timing. Their dedication to Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect who created the church, runs so deep that they chose to name their newborn son after him. The couple spent nine consecutive days in prayer before Gaudí’s image, seeking his intercession for tickets to witness the papal visit. Gaudí is currently being considered for sainthood.
Their prayers were answered, placing them among 40,000 believers attending Leo’s Tuesday evening prayer service. When a security officer spotted their infant, he brought the baby to the pope for a blessing while the child was crying. The same guard then approached 7-year-old Joaquim.
“He was so moved that he could only smile, he couldn’t speak,” Martínez described her son’s brief encounter with the pope during a Friday interview with The Associated Press.
That exact instant provided Morenatti with his perfect shot.
The photograph only became possible because Morenatti was determined to find an unconventional vantage point.
“Covering a papal visit is often frustrating for photographers. We are usually confined to positions assigned by the organizers, with little freedom to move in search of better angles,” he explained. However, during this event, he succeeded in moving beyond the security barrier to join spectators gathered along the papal route.
“Standing on a chair among the crowd, I could see the Popemobile approaching through a sea of waving hands and flags. Then I noticed a small gap in front of me — a narrow opening through which a photograph might be possible.”
“My 50–150 mm f/2 lens was already zoomed to its maximum focal length and opened to its widest aperture. I quickly checked that both faces were sharp and that the frame was clean, with everything positioned neatly beneath the windshield of the Popemobile. I pressed the shutter for a few seconds and immediately sensed that I had the photograph I had been searching for,” he continued. “A wave of emotion washed over me, followed by relief. The image I had imagined was finally there, safely stored on my memory card.”
Beyond distributing the photograph through AP’s network, Morenatti also shared the image on X, requesting assistance in locating the boy’s relatives so he could provide them with a physical print.
“They had to see this photo. And I needed to tell them how moved I was by their son,” Morenatti explained.
His social media post became viral content, accumulating over half a million views and hundreds of responses. The Catholic Church in Barcelona joined the effort, posting appeals in Catalan for public assistance. A major regional newspaper also covered the search effort.
Joaquim’s family remained unaware of this online campaign. However, after discovering Morenatti’s photograph on La Vanguardia’s website, a prominent local publication, they began their own effort to locate him. Using ChatGPT to identify his name, they contacted him through Instagram. Morenatti replied, and they connected by telephone, both moved by how quickly they found each other.
The family eagerly anticipates receiving the physical photograph, which will be displayed in their home in a village near Barcelona.
“We haven’t figured out yet where to place it, but it will be in a very special place,” Martínez explained, expressing hope that the image will help nurture faith in her five children. She suggested that her son’s brief private moment with the pope might even become part of Gaudí’s canonization documentation.
“For us, it’s a miracle of Antoni Gaudí. It’s a gift of God, who has these tender gestures of love for his children.”
